Survivor Trauma Therapy

The Agency offers Survivor Trauma Therapy for clients of all ages from 3 to 90+.  Our therapists are trained in complex trauma therapy. Therapists work with the client and families/caregivers to establish a therapeutic relationship that allows them to build a level of trust necessary for processing of difficult issues related to the trauma and abuse.  Initial therapy will address the development of self-regulation, de-activation and self-calming to provide an environment where change can happen.  

Understanding Complex Trauma
Trauma results from the impact of a tragic event or multiple events that affect the body-brain connection. Trauma can reside in the body's sensory and physical sensations and can have lasting effects on present life experiences and personal goals.

Trauma doesn’t have boundaries. Trauma happens regardless of age, race, culture or gender identification. Trauma occurs at a higher rates among children, infants, teens, children of color, and gender identifications, as well as to new moms. 

How Trauma Affects Behaviors
Adverse emotional responses from past events can be triggered and interrupt the healthy life a person wants to have. Memories are stored in physical and sensory sensations within the body. When these memories are triggered, the brain's thought processing and nervous system become overwhelmed. The thinking brain shuts down and is replaced by survival responses:

·       Fight (anger, agitation)

·       Flight (avoidance, escape)

·       Freeze (shutdown, lack of response)

·       Submit (compliance, acceptance)

Trauma-informed therapy helps clients and families recognize when past memories are affecting current behaviors. While these responses may have worked in the past to maintain safety, they now create new problems such as depression, anxiety, anger, and fear. An important question we encourage clients to ask is: "Am I safe now in the present moment?" We help clients and caregivers recognize their resilient strengths and personal resources.

Children are particularly vulnerable and can experience long-term trauma effects from events they experienced or witnessed. They often exhibit symptoms such as hypervigilance, emotional regulation challenges, and difficulty with caregiver relationships

Therapy will tailor interventions to the client which may include somatic therapy, EMDR therapy, TLC structured sensory integration and Sand Tray to allow the client to reprocess the impact of trauma and bring into the therapy session what matters most to them.

Therapy will explore the resources, interests and needs of the client in the context of their family and community, in order to build and maintain motivation, safety and support to achieve life goals.

EMDR THERAPY AND TLC STRUCTURED SENSORY INTEGRATION

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an integrated model to help trauma survivors reprocess disturbing thoughts and memories.  Trauma and Loss in Children provides structured sensory integration interventions that allows the trauma survivor to bring into the therapy sessions what matters most to them.