Healing through Relationships
The health of communities lies in the responsibility we have to help each other. The pain and distress we all experience may be healed through compassion extended to one another. I am passionate about helping teens and young adults heal from painful experiences as they try to navigate and make sense of the world around them.
Engaging in therapy is a sign of what is right with you, not what is wrong. Engaging in therapy signals your acceptance of a need for another’s help. This acceptance is the basis for positive change. No matter how difficult life is for you right now, or how hopeless you may feel, a wise part of you is determined to find the support you need. Having mental health challenges means you are human. I understand how difficult and how possible it is for you to overcome, to heal and to grow through difficulties. This is what makes me able to work with you as a ‘team’ toward achieving your best healthy self. My work experience and training have provided me with skills to assist in reducing distressful symptoms and to support you during the journey to healing.
When we experience trauma in our lives, it can take a long time to get over the pain and feel safe again, but we can make healing changes in our lives. Together we can heal the damage done to strengthen the strong you.
What is trauma?
A traumatic event can be a sudden, unexpected event or there may be smaller events that happen over an extended period of time such as a car accident, illness/injury, losing a loved one, a parent who’s an alcoholic, a parent who’s a victim of domestic violence, a family member in jail, a family member diagnosed with a mental illness, physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, bullying and the disappearance of a parent through divorce, death, or abandonment. Trauma occurs when our ability to cope with the traumatic experience(s) is completely overwhelmed and exhausted. Recurrent stress that is not managed well can lead to symptoms such as:
• Intrusive thoughts and memories • Flashbacks • Nightmares • Sleep difficulties • Irritability •Depression • Anxiety • Avoidance • Negative view of self and the world • Difficulty experiencing positive emotions • Feeling numb or disconnected • Self-injury • Difficulty with concentration or memory • Lack of social interaction • Reckless behavior • Guilt and shame
The behaviors teens and young adults experience may seem excessive, but really, they are working to survive or stay safe. When painful experiences are repetitive, the reactions become like a muscle memory that grows and grows over time becoming a second nature response. Healing from trauma occurs when we relearn and reaffirm safety as well as unlearn negative response behaviors and replace them with healthier response behaviors.
TF-CBT
Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is designed to reduce trauma symptoms, trauma-related depression, anxiety, behavior problems, and common trauma-related cognitive and emotional problems such as fear, shame, avoidance embarrassment, guilt, and self-blame. TF-CBT improves caregiver support, parenting skills, and caregiver-client communication.
The goal of TF-CBT is to support the client to face difficulties, develop skills for coping with those difficulties, and recognize the connection between the challenges the client is having and the traumatic experiences the client has experienced. TF-CBT helps clients develop a sense of safety and security, and learn or strengthen healthy coping strategies.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a therapy that can help clients feel better after something upsetting, scary or traumatic happens. When something scary or stressful happens, our brains, bodies and hearts can have a hard time making sense of the experience. Sometimes, the memory of this experience gets stuck in our brains and causes a lot of trouble in the way we think, feel, and act.
In EMDR therapy, I will ask you to do two things at the same time; to focus on upsetting memories while doing back-and-forth movements (usually eye movements). This is to help you feel better about those stressful memories. EMDR therapy helps the brain to process memories and heal without requiring the client to verbally share or go into detail regarding the stressful event.
Trauma Therapy and Counseling in Madera Ca.