Trauma Informed Care.

Trauma-Informed Care and PTSD

Experiencing trauma can affect every part of life—our emotions, relationships, sense of safety, and even how our bodies respond to stress. Trauma-informed care recognizes this impact and ensures that therapy is always grounded in safety, respect, and empowerment.

What Trauma-Informed Care Means

First what is trauma? Learn about it here: The Body Keeps Score

Trauma-informed therapy isn’t a single technique—it’s a way of working that prioritizes your wellbeing. It means:

  • Safety comes first – creating a space where you feel respected and not re-traumatized. Learn more from this video: Window of Tolerance

  • Choice and control – you set the pace; you’ll never be pushed to share more than you’re ready for.

  • Collaboration – therapy is a team effort; we’ll decide together what feels helpful and manageable.

  • Understanding the whole picture – recognizing how trauma affects thoughts, emotions, behavior, and even the body. Learn about the anxiety cycle here: Anxiety Cycle

Working with PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after experiences such as abuse, violence, military service, accidents, or sudden loss. Symptoms may include:

  • Intrusive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks

  • Avoidance of reminders of the trauma

  • Feeling on edge, anxious, or easily startled

  • Difficulty with sleep, concentration, or regulating emotions

  • Feeling detached, numb, or disconnected from yourself and others

Living with PTSD can feel overwhelming, but healing is possible. Therapy can help you regain a sense of safety, reconnect with your values, and build resilience.

My Approach

I use evidence-based therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and when appropriate, exposure therapy, always through a trauma-informed lens.

Exposure therapy: Click here to learn more about it

Exposure therapy is one of the most effective tools for PTSD, but it’s often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean diving headfirst into painful memories. Instead, it’s a gentle, step-by-step process of gradually facing reminders of the trauma in a safe and supportive way. We move at your pace, practicing skills to help you feel grounded and in control as we go. Over time, this can reduce the intensity of trauma-related memories and help you feel freer in daily life.

In practice, this may look like:

  • Learning grounding and self-soothing skills before touching painful material

  • Starting with less distressing situations and working up gradually

  • Slowing down or pausing anytime you need

  • Always balancing healing work with compassion and care

Moving Forward

Trauma does not define you. With the right support, it’s possible to loosen the grip of the past and live more freely in the present. My role is to walk alongside you, offering tools, support, and compassion as you take each step toward healing.