Childhood Trauma Counseling
I offer gentle, empathetic, and courageous counseling for adults healing from childhood trauma. Many clients tell me that my office feels like a comfortable living room and they feel welcome in that space. I help women and men recovering from trauma and am experienced supporting LGBTQ+ folks as well. I work with people with a variety of symptoms and diagnoses, and I specialize in treating Complex PTSD and Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Sometimes You Can't Do It Alone Anymore
The toll of childhood trauma is overwhelming. Research shows that people who were abused as children are at a higher risk for
- physical health problems
- mental health problems
- relationship problems
This can easily become too much to manage by yourself. And it's even more difficult to cope when you're also dealing with suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviors, flashbacks, or dissociative episodes.
As much as you might want to keep trying to handle this all by yourself, there's a very good reason to get help: the damage of childhood trauma can only be healed in the context of a healthy and safe relationship with other people. Why? Because abuse taught you that important people in your life could not be trusted and would not help you. This belief, which was accurate at the time, is now preventing you from living the life you want to live.
A safe therapeutic relationship is kind of like a fresh start-- an opportunity to get some of what you missed out on as a child and an opportunity to finish growing up into yourself.
When You're Healing From Childhood Trauma, Finding A Good Match With A Therapist Helps
You want a therapist you listens to you, who can see you for who you are (your strengths, your struggles, your dreams), and who will challenge you so that you keep growing and don't get stuck. You want a therapist who has training and experience working with people like you. And you also want a therapist who is flexible enough to meet your needs as they change throughout your healing journey.
People often come to see me after disappointing experiences with several therapists. The other therapists were usually kind, well-meaning, and even trained to work with some of the more challenging trauma symptoms. But those therapists seemed to become distant, rigid, or too demanding as the recovery work continued. I think some therapists get scared by the horror of trauma and the chaos left in its wake.
I can walk into Hades with you and help bring you back.
I have techniques and skills and ways of working with people that are incredibly helpful (and you can read more about that on my individual counseling page), but I am also willing and able to face the demons with you and that seems to make a world of difference to the people I work with.
Giving Yourself The Gift Of Healing
I believe that healing is your birthright. Everyone born on this planet deserves a chance to meet their full potential-- including you. Childhood trauma counseling is a big part of your journey into becoming yourself, the self you were meant to be.
Research tells us that trauma shapes our entire body/mind system (check out this great interview with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk). Unfortunately, you will never be able to erase all the effects of childhood trauma from your self. But, research also tells us that we can heal many of the damages from trauma and go on to live rich, satisfying lives, full of healthy and rewarding friendships and romantic relationships.
Get A Free Consultation
If you'd like to get started with personal growth counseling, give me a call at 614-398-2051. We'll find time for your free 15 minute consultation. During the consultation, you can ask your questions and we will explore if we'd be a good match. Call or email anytime to talk with me and find out more.