Is Your Past Weighing You Down?

Did you experience multiple or ongoing painful, distressing, and life-changing events?

Do you often feel haunted by your past as you struggle with flashbacks, hypervigilance, and/or dissociation?

Are your relationships negatively affected by a lack of trust or an inability to establish strong boundaries?

It might seem like your emotions are all over the place. One moment, you may experience joy and euphoria until you suddenly feel shaken, upset, or angry. Confused about why certain symptoms are occurring and how to address them, you may feel as though you are trapped in a vicious cycle.

A series of traumatic experiences may be at the core of your distress. Yet, you would do anything to avoid remembering the accident, abuse, or violence you sustained. You might even blame yourself for what happened.

As a highly trained trauma-informed therapist, I am here to tell you that your trauma is not your fault. Nevertheless, I understand why you feel this way and want to help you find a way to unburden yourself from the pain. It’s possible that Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—otherwise known as Complex PTSD or CPTSD—has developed from your experience, but fortunately, treatment exists to help you feel calmer and more regulated.

What Is Complex PTSD?

As opposed to single-incident events, Complex PTSD is commonly experienced by people who survived multiple or prolonged traumatic events. Examples include chronic childhood neglect and abuse, domestic violence, military combat, and other repeated distressing experiences. Complex PTSD can also result from surviving various single-incident traumas in a short period, such as sustaining an injury, accident, or illness following a sudden loss.

All of us encounter trauma in our lives, but the more trauma we are exposed to—especially at an early age—the more likely we are to develop symptoms of CPTSD. When trauma is experienced in the context of a relationship that is supposed to be safe (i.e., with a parent, caregiver, or family member), the risk of developing CPTSD is even higher. As children, we are not equipped with a fully developed brain or set of coping skills, so unprocessed trauma can become more complicated and entrenched over time.

As a result of compounding stressors, those living with CPTSD are likely to exhibit:

• Difficulty controlling emotions
• Changes in thinking patterns, including memory issues, negative thinking, and forgetting traumatic experiences
• Detachment from reality or feeling “unreal”
• Intense and unstable relationship patterns
• A lack of trust and an inability to feel safe
• Social withdrawal or isolation
• Loss of faith, hope, or sense of future

Relational Traumas Are Common But Rarely Talked About

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 60 percent of adults experienced trauma in childhood and that at least a quarter of adults experienced multiple traumas as children. Unfortunately, however, relational traumas are a highly stigmatized topic in our society, causing survivors to feel ashamed, rejected, and isolated in their experiences. Despite how widespread these issues are, we often feel alone in carrying our pain.

Working with another person in trauma treatment can seem counterintuitive, especially if interpersonal concerns around trust and safety exist. However, true relational healing can take place in the context of a safe relationship. Complex PTSD treatment offers you the secure support you need to face, process, and overcome your trauma in a healthy way. Working together, I can help you feel less weighed down by trauma.

Treatment For Complex PTSD At Momentai Wellness

At the root of many CPTSD symptoms is an overactive nervous system response. Therapy helps you get to the core of what you’re experiencing and develop the coping skills needed to manage distress. As you work through the memories and emotions you’ve bottled up, you will learn to regulate your emotions, build healthy relationships, and reduce disruptive symptoms.

My Approach

As a therapist specializing in Complex PTSD and other trauma-related issues, I will work to create a stable, comfortable, and open counseling space where you can feel safe to explore your experiences. The methods I use in therapy are trauma-informed, which means they are designed to be gentle and not cause further distress.

Treatment will be customized to address your unique symptoms, but in general, our long-term goal will be to achieve long term recovery from symptoms of Complex PTSD. One way we will do this is through using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). As one of the most effective Complex PTSD treatments to date, EMDR uses eye movements to redirect stored trauma in the brain and body.

In addition, behavioral strategies, parts work, and hypnosis may be used to help you identify and manage when you feel activated. Ego State Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) give you the tools to better understand how you respond to distress and what to do to help yourself feel safe. Similarly, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills might be introduced to help you identify and adjust your window of tolerance when symptoms of Complex PTSD arise.

With time and effort in therapy, many of my clients experience lasting relief and no longer meet the criteria for Complex PTSD. By creating some distance between yourself and overwhelming emotions or memories in treatment, you can transform your life into one that feels joyful, safe, and worth living.

Perhaps You’re Unsure About If You Will Benefit From Therapy…

Do I have to talk about my trauma in treatment for Complex PTSD?

The short answer is yes. And though that might sound like the opposite of what you’d like to do, I assure you that working through the experiences you’ve tried so hard to avoid is actually the key to feeling better. Treatment provides you with an opportunity to let go of painful experiences affecting your daily life, thereby reducing the pressure on your system overall. Before we begin working on these tough memories, you’ll learn skills to help this process seem less intimidating.

As a therapist specially trained in matters of trauma and Complex PTSD, I will make sure that you feel safe and prepared in therapy. It might also help to note that body-based interventions like EMDR are gentle in their approach.

How long will I be in therapy?

If you are struggling with Complex PTSD, time spent in therapy will depend on many factors—including the severity and duration of your symptoms. I’ve found that the more clients practice skills outside of therapy sessions, the faster they’ll see a reduction in symptoms.

In general, clients typically report improvement within a few months after beginning treatment.

What else can I expect in terms of the cost and duration of Complex PTSD treatment?

For more information about my rates, insurance policy, and what to expect when working together, please visit my FAQ page.

Free Yourself From The Pain And Anguish Of Complex Trauma

If you survived multiple or prolonged painful, unexpected, or distressing events, it’s possible that Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) has developed. Fortunately, treatment for Complex PTSD exists, opening the door to a brighter future.

For more information about how I can help, book a free consultation with me.