We tend to think about trauma as a big event, such as rape, assault, accidents, home invasion, abuse, or war. The aftermath of these are emotional, cognitive, somatic, and spiritual and they can trigger previous loss and trauma. Those are isolated incidents, but trauma also refers to ‘adverse childhood events’, in the form of neglect and unconscious parenting. This may have seemed innocuous at the time for a child, and perhaps even normal; it would have been repeated chronically. It is a more insidious and more internalized trauma and affects us in ways that we often don’t understand. Both kinds of trauma need focus and attention.

For the isolated incidents, a protocol of containing the shock, making meaning of the event, and understanding, monitoring and releasing symptoms is utilized.

For trauma resulting from a chronic unsupportive, abusive or neglecting past, I help you explore your attachment history (the way we developed depending on who and how our caretakers took care of us). We explore your attachment injuries (deficits and lack of attunement in the relationship with our caregivers) and uncover the way they affect how we relate to the world and our significant others.

I work with you to understand your body symptoms and vulnerabilities and we explore ways to quieten the nervous system through growing awareness and attention to the body. Body scanning, mindfulness techniques, and bringing other supportive practices into your life may be incorporated.