Are You Having Trouble Feeling Satisfied With Yourself And In Your Relationships? 

Do you struggle with deep feelings of shame and distrust? Is it common for you to avoid new situations that take you outside of your comfort zone? And have you always been your own worst critic?

Despite maintaining high achievements and crushing it in most areas of life, you can’t seem to shake feelings of inadequacy. Something inside drives your self-doubt, enhancing the sense of rejection you feel on a daily basis. This has probably translated in your closest relationships, resulting in a lack of security and an inability to connect. 

Perhaps you have a hard time feeling safe or at ease in your body. Maybe you struggle with physical symptoms of anxiety, including heart palpitations and a heightened stress response. Wanting to escape or disconnect, you may engage in compulsive behaviors including overeating, self-harm, and substance abuse. 

Something gnaws at you, creating stressful days and sleepless nights. Instead of facing the pain, you pour yourself into your work or project onto your relationships. You may feel like a burden to others or that you’re the only one you can count on, so you don’t ask for help even when you feel unsafe and alone.  

You May Be Struggling With Residual Trauma

Though trauma has traditionally been limited in its definition, the truth is that it lies at the core of much of our distress. Sure, disturbing or dangerous events like assaults, accidents, and instances of child abuse and neglect often create lingering symptoms that can be helped with treatment. But the truth is that trauma is far more nuanced and impactful than we recognize. 

Though you may think to yourself I wasn’t traumatized, or I had a good childhood, there are nevertheless human experiences you’ve survived that may have compromised your emotional resilience and ability to trust—in yourself, in others, or in the world around you. With trauma therapy at Catalyst Counseling, you can locate the root of your symptoms as you foster a happier life and healthier relationships. 

Trauma Takes Many Forms And Is Not Always Life-Threatening

At least 70 percent of adults in the US have endured some form of trauma, while 40 percent of children under the age of 18 have survived a traumatic experience.[1] [2] In addition, trauma has been identified as a high-risk factor for developing a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, addiction, and many more.  

A lot of trauma stems from stressful early experiences, such as emotional/mental abuse, neglect, and cumulative stress (sometimes due to grief and loss)—ultimately creating adverse effects on the development of child survivors as they grow into adults. 

As such, trauma now maintains a broader definition than we once ascribed to it, characterized as anything that has impacted an individual to the point where their nervous system can no longer cope. This results in a hyper-aroused or dissociative response that is regularly triggered in moments of perceived threat or unsafety. 

Unfortunately, the social systems in place to protect us—including school, healthcare, and criminal justice systems—can reinforce trauma. For Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) folks in particular, this systemic component of trauma can add to daily stressors and feelings of insecurity. 

Whether You Know The Source Of Your Distress Or Not, Counseling Can Help

At Catalyst Counseling, our clients come to therapy for a wide range of issues but typically identify some sort of traumatic experience sooner or later. Our therapists understand that the question to ask is not what’s wrong with you? but rather, what happened to you and how did your trauma create these patterns? 

To understand the counterproductive behaviors of today, you must be willing to examine the relationships and experiences that shaped your past. And with trauma therapy, you can find a safe space to explore and heal from the memories you’ve hidden away. 

Therapy Can Help You Understand The Painful Effect That Trauma Has Had On You

Living with symptoms of internalized cumulative distress, you probably don’t have very many opportunities to feel in control of your emotions and behaviors. However, at Catalyst Counseling, our individualized approach to trauma treatment gives you a chance to examine your unique experiences and develop a plan for healing on a deep level. 

Treatment begins with a 90-minute intake session during which you and your therapist will come together to discuss your history and the impact that trauma has on you. We’ll work to understand your symptoms, current coping mechanisms, and goals for counseling. 

From there, we will use your intake as a blueprint to guide ongoing 50-minute trauma therapy sessions. At Catalyst Counseling, we believe that you are the ultimate authority in your life. So, while our highly trained and empathetic therapists are here to offer you skills for coping, you will remain in the driver’s seat in terms of the topic of conversation and the pace of therapy. 

Our clinicians use psychoeducation and brain-based techniques to help you understand and process the impact of your experiences. In addition, your Catalyst therapist is likely to draw from evidence-based, trauma-informed methods—including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Brainspotting—to customize your experience in therapy. 

These methods will help you develop awareness of your core beliefs, understand how they influence your thoughts and behaviors, and allow you to overcome the mental and emotional barriers associated with your trauma. As you learn more about your brain’s response and how you react to triggering situations, you will be better able to make intentional choices instead of reactive ones. 

It’s possible to heal and develop safe, trusted relationships with yourself and those around you. Though trauma may have impacted your emotional resilience, therapy can help you manage your emotions and create a life that is healed and connected.  

Maybe You’re Considering Trauma Treatment At Catalyst Counseling, But You Still Have Questions…

I worry that if I open up about my trauma in therapy, I’ll never stop crying. 

It’s hard to talk about difficult experiences and we understand that you may worry about opening up a “Pandora’s Box” of pain. However, we have seen these feelings come and go in treatment; we know that it’s possible to safely and slowly open that box to become more aware of the impact that trauma has had on you. 

Our therapists are here to provide a safe space for you and are specifically trained to not re-traumatize you as they guide you in processing your experiences. 

I don’t want to let go of my perfectionism—it makes me a high achiever. 

We believe you and know that perfectionism can certainly have functional aspects. Nevertheless, it’s important to examine the ways that perfectionism has served you and what it’s cost you. Your need to be perfect originated somewhere—let’s process that together so you can feel less stressed. 

I’m worried I won’t do this whole therapy thing the right way. 

There is no right or wrong way to participate in therapy. At Catalyst Counseling, our clinicians trust that your brain and body will bring up important issues and guide us in understanding your trauma. You will be in the driver’s seat of our conversation and working together with a therapist will help you feel empowered to take control of your emotions as your trauma maintains less sway over you. 

There Is A Reason For Your Distress, And There Is Hope For Your Healing

If you experience ongoing distress or disconnection in your daily life and relationships, therapy at Catalyst Counseling can help you identify and overcome your trauma. 

You can schedule a free, 15-minute consultation by calling (281) 660-1351. Or you’re welcome to contact our trauma specialists Alejandra and Barbie directly.

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