One of the most common reasons people come to see me is complex PTSD, and many don’t realize it at first. Complex trauma is often subtle. It usually grows out of ongoing experiences rather than a single event, like growing up in a home that looked normal to outsiders but felt very different on the inside.
Does this sound familiar?
- Your emotions feel bigger or faster than the situation calls for, or you shut down and go numb
- You have a harsh inner critic and carry a lot of shame
- You zone out, lose time, or feel disconnected from yourself
- Relationships feel confusing, draining, or unsafe, even with people you love
- You’re always on alert, scanning for what might go wrong
Diagnoses that didn’t quite fit
You might have previously received other diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. Some people have also been diagnosed with ADHD or autism, which can occur alongside trauma and share some of the same signs. You may have done DBT and found that it wasn’t as helpful as you hoped it would be. You might be surprised, after a new assessment with me, to find that complex PTSD is part of the picture, sometimes alongside your earlier diagnoses and sometimes explaining symptoms that were attributed to something else.
How therapy with me helps
I’ll teach you how your brain works, what happens when you feel distressing emotions, and how to get your thinking brain, your prefrontal cortex, back online. Using Trauma Informed Stabilization Treatment and parts work, we’ll focus first on building safety and self-regulation. We go at your pace, and I carefully limit how much we talk about painful memories so you don’t leave sessions feeling flooded.
It’s a way of addressing trauma with compassion and without self-judgment.
Start your healing quest
I offer a free 15-minute consultation. Reach out to see whether we’re a good fit.