Traumatic events come in all sizes. They can be onetime occurrences, like a car accident or a fire or they can be a series of repeated events over a long period such as emotional and physical abuse. Either way, these events can leave one struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. They might leave us feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people. They could cause angry outburst or depression. We might even feel as though we leave our body when the memories come. These overwhelming experiences bring about a “fight-flight-freeze” response, as the body using instinct tries to survive and may hang on to the memories to keep us safe in the future. Our nervous system gets stuck in a loop and the trauma, though not present in the moment, can get replayed. Together we will work toward helping you release some of the energy that has become trapped in your nervous system, like a deer running into the woods and shaking out it’s body after a near miss with a car.  The goal is to assist individuals to release the thwarted fight/flight/freeze response and bring the nervous system into regulation. When you release the stored energy, you may feel a sense of letting down your guard and have a greater ability to relax. The present moment will become safer and the old feelings less powerful. 

 

My priority is to provide a contained environment by educating and guiding you to complete your stifled responses of fight, flight or freeze. The goal is to assist you to track sensations and develop areas of support, by having you focus and pay attention to the sensations in your body.  Practicing these skills allows you to develop new neural pathways and assists you to have greater ability to manage challenges and stressors.  Once the nervous system has greater flexibility, you will experience a greater range of emotional flexibility and feel much more aware of your responses to a range of situations.