Anxiety and Trauma
When anxiety or past experiences keep you on high alert, therapy offers a way to feel more grounded, present, and safe.
“Healing from trauma involves reconnecting with yourself—with your body, your feelings, and your sense of purpose.”
— Bessel van der Kolk
When Your Nervous System Won't Rest
Your body remembers what your mind tries to forget. Maybe it's chronic anxiety that makes even simple tasks feel overwhelming, or trauma responses that get triggered by seemingly random things. You might feel like you're constantly on guard, waiting for the next threat, even when you're objectively safe.
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This isn't about being weak or dramatic—trauma and anxiety create real changes in how your nervous system operates. Your reactions make perfect sense given what you've experienced, but they might not be serving you well in your current life.
The Impact of Unresolved Trauma and Chronic Anxiety
Hypervigilance and Constant Alert
Your nervous system stays activated, scanning for threats even in safe environments. This chronic state of alertness is exhausting and makes it hard to relax, sleep, or enjoy simple pleasures.
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Emotional Flooding and Numbness
You might swing between being overwhelmed by emotions and feeling completely disconnected from them. Both states can feel scary and uncontrollable, leaving you feeling unstable and unpredictable to yourself.
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Physical Symptoms
Anxiety and trauma live in the body—tight muscles, digestive issues, headaches, or unexplained pain. Your body holds the stress even when your mind isn't consciously worried.
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Intrusive Thoughts and Memories
Past experiences might replay without warning, or worst-case scenarios might run on loop in your mind. These intrusions can make you feel like you're losing control of your own thoughts.
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Avoidance and Isolation
To manage overwhelming feelings, you might avoid people, places, or activities that could trigger difficult memories or anxiety. While this provides short-term relief, it can make your world feel smaller and more isolated.
Treatment Path
Healing Through Safety and Integration
Using trauma-informed approaches including the Trauma Resiliency Model, we focus on helping your nervous system remember what safety feels like. This work happens at the pace your system can handle—never forcing or rushing the healing process.
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We work on building your capacity to tolerate difficult feelings and sensations without being overwhelmed by them. This might involve learning grounding techniques, practicing mindfulness, or processing specific traumatic memories when you're ready.
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The goal isn't to erase what happened or eliminate all anxiety—it's to help you integrate these experiences so they don't control your present life. Over time, you develop the ability to feel safe in your own body and trust your capacity to handle whatever comes up.
​What Might Change After Therapy?
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Nervous system regulation: Your body learns to relax and feel safe again
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Emotional stability: You experience feelings without being overwhelmed by them
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Present-moment awareness: You live in the now rather than trapped in past fears
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Physical relief: Tension, pain, and other trauma symptoms begin to ease
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Increased capacity: You can handle stress and challenges without falling apart
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Restored trust: You begin to trust yourself, others, and life again
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Post-traumatic growth: You discover strength and wisdom you didn't know you had