Help for people who have experienced trauma or abuse

 

Sometimes people experience something so terrible, that it continues to haunt them months, years, and decades afterwards. It may be a single event, or there may be several.

• Are you haunted by painful memories or images, dreams or nightmares?
• Do you try to avoid loved ones, places and activities you used to enjoy?
• Do you feel apathetic, disconnected from others, or emotionally numb?
• Do you find yourself irritable, constantly on guard, or easily startled?

If any of this sounds familiar, you may be suffering from posttraumatic stress symptoms. You may have heard about our soldiers returning from service with posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD. During the World Wars, it was called “shell shock.” We find descriptions of it as far back as the writings of the ancient Greeks.

Today we have a much better understanding of it. It doesn’t mean that you’re weak, or need to “get over it.” Sometimes things happen in our lives that overwhelm our abilities to cope. I want to help people struggling with the tremendous pain and burden of trauma to learn to engage their lives again in a way that feels vital and meaningful. It can feel scary to begin to look at these things, which is why I work closely with trauma survivors to make certain they feel safe and supported in their efforts.

I specialize in treating trauma and PTSD, drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people begin reengage their lives and more effectively deal with their distress. I am committed to offering treatments supported by research, including exposure-based interventions--the gold standard for trauma treatment. Because this work is a passion for me, I'm very willing to reduce my fees to make trauma treatment available to those in need.

I have included additional links that you might find helpful on this website. Please contact me if you’re interested in treatment. Together, we can assess within the first session or two what may be the most appropriate course of therapy and discuss your options.