Trauma, Dissociation, & Plurality
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What do you do when things fall apart?
It is hard to know what to do when the worst happens--when, despite all your best efforts, you get hurt. You may feel angry, guilty, or defeated. You may want support, but not know how to find it. Or maybe you feel like you're doing all you can, but it's just never enough. Trauma is something that can happen to anyone--abuse, neglect, accidents, natural disasters, the death of a loved one, or the ongoing trauma of being oppressed in society--the list goes on. |
Image: stock photo of an Asian person with dark glasses looking sad
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Trauma can affect us in ways that we might not realize, even if we don't remember it happening. You might find yourself withdrawing from others, feeling alone, angry, afraid, or just numb. You may notice that you have trouble managing strong feelings and often become scared, anxious, angry, or overwhelmed. Maybe you suspect that something happened, but aren't sure and have no way to find out. Or you might realize that you seem to have gaps in your memories, and no matter how hard you try, you can't remember what happened.
Maybe this isn't news at all. Maybe you suspect or have figured out that you're a plural system, or you have a DID or OSDD diagnosis related to past trauma. Maybe you're tired of explaining what that even means to yet another therapist.
Maybe you just need to be believed.
It's true that we can't change the past.
We do our best to live a good life, but sometimes we get hurt and there's nothing we can do about it. When that happens, it can be hard to know what to do. You may want to just get past it, or you might worry that focusing on it will make it worse. Unfortunately, trauma has a way of affecting your life even long after the danger has passed. You might find that it's hard to maintain friendships or relationships, that you experience strong feelings that don't seem to make sense, or that no matter what you do you can't seem to feel happy.
Maybe this isn't news at all. Maybe you suspect or have figured out that you're a plural system, or you have a DID or OSDD diagnosis related to past trauma. Maybe you're tired of explaining what that even means to yet another therapist.
Maybe you just need to be believed.
It's true that we can't change the past.
We do our best to live a good life, but sometimes we get hurt and there's nothing we can do about it. When that happens, it can be hard to know what to do. You may want to just get past it, or you might worry that focusing on it will make it worse. Unfortunately, trauma has a way of affecting your life even long after the danger has passed. You might find that it's hard to maintain friendships or relationships, that you experience strong feelings that don't seem to make sense, or that no matter what you do you can't seem to feel happy.
Image: stock photo of a pale-skinned, barefoot person with brown hair, wearing shorts and a t-shirt sitting curled up on a spiral staircase.
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But we can change the future
Believe it or not, what you're experiencing is actually completely normal for someone who's been through something terrible. Just like a broken arm causes pain so that we know there’s something wrong, people who experience harmful, damaging, or traumatic events in their lives, experience emotional pain or other disruptive experiences to signal that something needs to heal. And just like we have to set a broken bone and let it heal over time, you may need care, attention, and proper treatment before they can feel well again. |
You Are Not Crazy
In fact, millions of people live with experiences much like yours as a result of trauma in their lives. But those signals from your mind, body, and emotions are making it hard for you to live your life now, and it may be time to work with and heal the trauma in order to move toward the future that you want.
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Counseling can help.
Your emotions and behaviors wouldn’t be telling you that something needs to heal if there weren’t a way to do it. It might seem impossible, and it’s true that it might take a while. But there are ways for you to find healing and happiness. You don’t have to continue to suffer. Counseling can provide a safe place to start healing. Working with a therapist, you can start to figure out how to heal this pain and be happier in your life, and you can do it with someone there to help guide that process. My approach to working with trauma addresses the mental, emotional, physiological, and social impacts you experience. I am also trained in EMDR, a type of therapy specifically designed for working with trauma. We will work together to figure out a good pace for our sessions, so that the process can be as comfortable as possible. And through our work, we can discover the specific ways that the trauma has impacted their life. You don't have to struggle alone anymore; together, we can find a path to healing and happiness. |
Image: stock photo of a pale-skinned person with brown hair leaning on the grass and holding a red leaf.
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Visit my Services page to learn more about how we can work together to create wellness and happiness in your life. You can also feel free to visit my Common Questions page for answers to some questions or concerns you may have.
To discover if Counseling is right for you, or to request more information about my qualifications, competencies, and services, please Contact me to set up a free consultation.
To discover if Counseling is right for you, or to request more information about my qualifications, competencies, and services, please Contact me to set up a free consultation.