I first began to work with those recovering from Trauma in the 1980s. I feel that facing trauma is a deeply brave and ambitious thing for an individual to do. To give back the violence, whether it be sexual, physical, or neglectful (or all of these) to the perpetrator and reclaim our lives as we were always entitled to have them is difficult work. I respect those I work with and know they are the experts on their own lives. I understand that to have been a victim is not the same as taking on the identity of “victim” in our lives. Because Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a brilliant survival reaction that can develop after exposure to a traumatizing event or exposure to a traumatic ordeal inflicted by a perpetrator over time, I respect the pace of recovery as determined by the client. This is usually something that unfolds over time in a successful therapy and recovery. With PTSD it is common that one may reactively experience the world with beliefs and feelings that may include thoughts about what one should have or could have done, an intense reactivity to the reactions of other people that may surprise even ourselves when it happens, and often feelings that one has lost a sense of control one did have before, or a loss of a sense of control over their living and choices they wished they had had in their own lives.

Any Traumatic event can trigger PTSD as a brilliant survival and self protection reaction. It is also true that at times we can experience traumatic events and not develop a Posttraumatic stress disorder.

Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, experience in military combat, sexual assaults, rape, and many forms of child abuse, including sexual abuse, neglect, and physical assaults.  Less recognized events may also cause trauma reactions – experiences like falls, medical procedures, unexpected losses, animal bites, or getting lost. For children, many events that might seem ordinary to us as adults may be traumatizing depending on their age, size, and many other childhood and environmental factors.

If you have developed Posttraumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) you may experience such feelings as having persistent frightening thoughts and memories of an ordeal or you may feel emotionally numb, even with people you were once close to or wish to be close to. You might also experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled. Research suggests that there is connection between many physical illnesses and unresolved trauma.

Please feel free to call either one of us to discuss your concerns. We would be happy to try to help you help yourself if we can and you choose to work with either one of us.