Trauma
Due to your past, you are not able to enjoy today.
Your feelings have you on edge and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Then you snap at others and feel guilty, so then you isolate. You wish to be doing more with loved ones and you want your life to be more fulfilling. You make excuses why not to go out or you rush to get back home. Even basic activities like shopping become something you avoid. Everyday tasks or activities fill you with dread. You often feel like a burden. You worry about the worst-case scenario and just want to make sure everything is going to be okay. You are hypervigilant and want to make sure there are no surprises, but you feel like you are losing your mind.
You may have been in a car accident, been a victim of a crime or experienced sexual assault. Due to your job, you may have witnessed death or feared for your life. Maybe you have suffered a medical emergency and have not been yourself since. You are not comfortable talking to anyone, so you keep it bottled up.
This is all paying its toll on you. You feel so alone and not worthy of others' love, and you think “Why do bad things keep happening?’"
Frustrated because you do not know where to turn for help. You have tried therapy before and it helped some, however, you still feel like the world is unsafe and others cannot be trusted.
Tragedies happen but they don’t have to
be in the driver’s seat of your journey.
At Counseling to Inspire, Inc., we understand trauma. We are dedicated to helping people enjoy the present moment, form deep connections with their loved ones and have hope for the future.
Trauma therapy helps people struggling with their past, reduce anxiety, worry, and dread so they can return to the life they had or always wish they had.
People say after having trauma therapy they can “LET THINGS GO”, which allows them to sleep better, have more joy interacting with others, and enjoy what is going on around them. People are surprised when days and weeks go by without thinking about the trauma, and when memories do come up, they are no longer upset by them.
If you are ready for a new lease on life, schedule a free consultation for trauma therapy today.
What Is Trauma?
Some people hear the word “trauma” and assume it only refers to horrific catastrophes, but trauma can be more complex than that.
Trauma is our emotional response to a painful, upsetting, or terrifying experience. It ranges from major life-threatening tragedies (also known as Big T trauma) to incidents of a less degree (Little T trauma).
What Causes Trauma?
Both Big T and Little T trauma can deeply impact your everyday activities and functioning. However, neither one is necessarily worse than the other, as the effects of trauma can vary depending upon your situation, background, and environment.
Let’s look at some examples of experiences that can cause Big T and Little T trauma:
Big T Trauma
Natural disasters, nation or global-wide emergencies
Accidents (e.g., vehicle collisions, occupational incidents)
Warfare or political violence (e.g., combat, terrorism, torture, persecution)
Community violence (e.g., mugging, shooting, assault)
Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse or neglect
Unexpected or disturbing death of a loved one
Severe injury (e.g., burns, animal attack)
Dangerous surgery or terminal medical condition
Little T Trauma
Painful divorce or separation
Vicarious trauma (witnessing trauma happening to someone else)
Public humiliation or shame
Bullying or social rejection
Job or career loss
Discrimination or harassment because of age, nationality, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.
No matter how extensive or subtle your traumatic experience is, it does not define who you are or who you might become. Together, we can explore your trauma and find your way back to a balanced and peaceful life.
Do I Need Trauma Therapy?
As much as we may love to plan, few of us are prepared for a tragic event. Traumatic experiences can catch us off-guard and trigger a whirlwind of disturbing thoughts, feelings, and sensations. They can affect how we work, study, rest and relate to others.
Some people manage to go on with their lives after a distressing incident. Yet, others continue to hold on to the memory, sometimes without realizing how it impacts their relationships and every move. These lingering after-effects of trauma are also known as post-traumatic stress or PTSD symptoms.
What Is Trauma Therapy?
Trauma therapy refers to treatment focused on navigating and healing from trauma. During treatment, a mental health professional can help you gain insight into your traumatic experience, recognize your triggers, and provide you with tools to manage your symptoms.
How Can Trauma Therapy Help Me?
1) Offering a Safe Environment
Therapy provides a safe and private space to share your trauma story, what’s hurting you, and how pain is showing up in your life. Your therapist will help you understand your trauma and how it relates to your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
2) Reframing Your Experience
Avoiding thinking or speaking about your trauma is common, but it may reinforce your fear and affect your recovery. Therapy allows you to face your distressing memories and reframe the limiting paradigms associated with them. This shift can help you manage your symptoms so you can start healing.
3) Providing Coping Strategies
Post-traumatic symptoms may show up inside and outside of sessions. Your therapist will teach you coping strategies such as breathing techniques and other grounding exercises to take with you wherever you go. The goal is to support you to regain confidence in yourself and your ability to handle triggers if they arise.
What are some examples of PTSD symptoms?
Alertness or caution (hypervigilance)
Frequent worry and overwhelm
Difficulty resting, relaxing, or sleeping
Recurring nightmares, flashbacks, and visions about trauma
Constant triggers or reminders of the event
Fear or reluctance to talk about the incident
Avoidance of people, places, or objects that remind you of trauma
Irritability or emotional overreactions
Sadness and lack of hope
Trouble connecting with others
If you are carrying the burden of unprocessed trauma and exhibiting these signs, therapy can help.
Trauma Therapy at Counseling to Inspire
At Counseling to Inspire, we are proud to support adults and teens dealing with trauma, anxiety, and other life challenges.
We offer various therapy services to the Napa and Solano communities, including individual, group therapy, workshops, clinical supervision and consultations.
Our diverse staff is trained in different modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)—all particularly effective when treating individuals with trauma.
Sessions will typically happen once a week and may vary depending on your specific symptoms and goals. We follow a personalized approach, tailoring treatment to your needs.
You don’t have to carry the heavy weight of trauma on your own. We are here to help.
Contact us if you have any questions about trauma therapy.
Ready to get started? Request an appointment today!
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”