Trauma Therapy in Michigan, South Carolina, Florida & Vermont

Have you been through something that overwhelmed you to your core?

Or have you experienced lots of “little things” that when added up altogether changed you and turned your world upside down?

And now you…

• Are constantly feeling on edge, tense, nervous, or jumpy

• Get flashbacks of painful memories and it feels like it’s happening all over again

• Avoid people, places, or activities that remind you of the trauma

• Feel emotionally disconnected or have difficulty feeling positive emotions

• Are afraid to talk about how you feel because it might bring up more than you can handle

Or maybe you don’t feel like you’ve experienced “Trauma”

But something in life doesn’t feel right.  You get easily upset, quickly distracted, and fearful over things that never used to bother you before.  The hardest part is that you can’t quite figure out when you started to feel this way - or if it’s always been like this.

You’re constantly on alert, trying to gauge the mood of the people around you and walking on eggshells.  You are very careful about what you say so you don’t upset or disappoint anyone.  

You’re the kind of person who really cares.  You put the needs of others ahead of your own wants and needs.  You’re a really good friend.  And despite that - you still feel like you can’t truly connect with others.  It’s so hard to deal with the feelings of being minimized, ignored, or overlooked by the people in your life..  

You feel like the conversation becomes about everyone else 

and no one really sees or understands you. 

You want to be able to stay true to yourself and actually say what you think and feel.  You truly want to be seen and heard, but it feels scary for some reason.  You don’t want to lie or hide your feelings, but something inside you just automatically kicks on and you’re …

• Trying to please the other person or keep them happy

• Only speaking up if you agree or have something positive to say

• Making yourself small or invisible

• Avoiding any arguments or conflict

•  Feeling really afraid if any disagreements happen in a group

It feels hard to express your opinions not knowing how other people will react.  The idea of a confrontation makes your heart jump out of your body or feel nauseous.  

Sometimes you want to stand up for yourself, but when you get the courage to try, the person doesn’t listen.  Maybe you’ve thought, “What's the point in even trying to reason with this person?” and you decide that the easiest thing to do is just just go along with it.  You swallow back your true feelings and stay silent.  But then you’re left holding so much frustration and  hopelessness inside.  

You might have a sense that some of this is related to trauma in your past.  Maybe family members or partners treated you poorly and even though things are different now, there’s still a part of you that feels afraid.  

You don’t have to live for everyone else. 

It’s time for you to feel seen, heard, and supported.

Together we can help you get relief from feelings of fear.  Trauma therapy can help us get to the root of the issue and learn where this pattern of putting others first started.  We can process the belief  that conflict is dangerous and help you to feel more safe and comfortable expressing yourself - what you need, what you like, and what you want in life.  It may seem impossible now, but we can help you recover from the people pleasing and perfectionism that’s kept you scared, small, and suffering in silence.  You can live with more courage and confidence to create a life that you truly love.  And you can have deeper connections than ever before.