The reality is that most of us have experienced trauma in one way or another. Covid was been a collective trauma for many. Natural disasters, gun violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, discrimination, and oppression are certainly traumatic. Then, there are the innumerable personal traumas - devastating loss of relationships in our lives, not getting our needs met in the most important ways, experiencing something so scary that we feel like we might die or witnessing someone else in a life-threatening situation.

being human can be traumatic.

But, the good news is - you’re not alone. We understand these deeply painful experiences, and we’re here to help.

what is trauma?

A trauma is an event or circumstance that we experience as deeply disturbing and that has a lasting impact on us. As humans, we become traumatized when we experience something so distressing that it gets in the way of our ability to cope and to manage our lives and relationships. Experiencing such trauma might make us feel rocked to our very core. What happened may be so upsetting that, on some level, we feel a threat to our very existence, so our brain and body react out of pure survival instinct. Even as children, we can feel such an existential threat when we see our parents or important adults having a bad argument or becoming volatile because we know we are dependent on them.

When we experience something traumatic, it becomes very difficult to think clearly, and our memories get distorted. There’s often a strong sense of powerlessness and feeling unsafe after going through a trauma. All of this can make it very difficult to just shake off what happened, and we can feel stuck.

how does trauma affect us?

When we experience a traumatic event, our brain and body instinctively go into survival mode. The brain stem, or “reptilian brain,” gets activated, and all of our higher level thought processes shut down. Our adrenaline starts pumping, and our stress hormone, cortisol, spikes. Our body prepares to fight back, flee, freeze - play dead, or fawn - do whatever is necessary to please others to make it stop.

After going through something so awful and intense, our body stores the memory of the experience. We may experience upset stomachs, migraines, tension, body aches & pains long after the event. Our brains may hold onto the feelings and memories of what happened in confusing ways, causing us to react to current situations as if they were the trauma - even when there’s no real danger involved. When we experience multiple traumas, our stress hormone, cortisol, may stay elevated, which keeps us feeling on edge and hypervigilant.

Tons of research now shows that trauma deeply affects our physical health as well. In fact, the higher a person scores on the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale (ACES), the more likely they are to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, and a whole host of other medical issues. This research is so well-documented that California has created an entire campaign to focus on helping people with high ACES scores heal & recover.

What is developmental trauma?

Developmental trauma occurs when we experience a trauma prior to 18 years old, and it has a lasting impact on us. You might have developmental trauma as a result of some of those Adverse Childhood Experiences, or you may have experienced something not on that questionnaire like not having your emotional needs met most of the time - also know as Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN).

Developmental trauma is so significant because our brains are growing, adapting, and changing so much in our first years of life. When we experience trauma in childhood, it can affect everything from how our neural networks involved in reading and responding to other people develop to how our very genes express themselves. These early experiences can cause difficulty with friends, school, employment, intimacy, and family later in life. In fact, a whole range of health issues including headaches, asthma, heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, and autoimmune disease are correlated with childhood traumas.

highly sensitive people (hsps) and trauma

Anyone can experience trauma, and highly sensitive people are no exception, especially since we make up about 20-30% of the global population. Plus, research has found that highly sensitive people who experience a positive environment also experience heightened positive effects from that environment. Unfortunately, the converse is also true - hsps who experience a negative environment are likely to have a heightened negative impact.

Because our nervous systems are on high alert and are so sensitive to what is happening around us, we may also experience certain situations as traumatic, even if other people around us don’t have the same reaction.

So, please know that your feelings, reactions, and need are real and valid. Even if others don’t quite understand. We see you, and we’d love to offer support.

am I doomed?!

Absolutely not! As humans, our brains are plastic, adaptable, and changeable throughout our lifespan. This means that we can heal and recover from trauma at any point in our lives. The reality is that healing takes time, is usually messy, and probably won’t be easy or linear. (Who ever taught us that growth was all an upward trajectory anyway??) But, healing is completely possible if we commit to working at it.

And, as we heal and grow, we can have positive impacts on our own health and well-being and on all the important people and relationships in our lives, creating a healthy ripple effect. As therapists, we are privileged and humbled to witness such healing often in our work. We’d love to help you find your path to healing too.

how do i heal from trauma?

This looks different for everyone. Some people may find healing in spiritual practices, nature, or supportive relationships. However, for many people, it can be difficult to recover from trauma on their own. This is where therapy comes in.

In therapy, we can help you process your traumatic experiences, reconnect to a sense of safety in your body, and even work to help your brain and body shift how those memories are held. How do we do this?

• Brainspotting

• Expressive Arts Therapy

• Trauma-focused CBT - a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that’s tailored to the specific needs around trauma

• Mindfulness - uses a variety of practices to increase a sense of being connected to and safe in our bodies

• Person-centered, psychodynamic, and narrative approaches - focus on building a very safe, supportive therapeutic relationship to help us process experiences, feel safe and empowered, and create a coherent narrative about what we’ve been through

We are trauma therapists serving all of california

Experiencing a trauma or multiple traumas can be very painful and overwhelming. Often, it’s hard to know where to begin. Instead of trying to figure it out on your own, we’d love to help guide you out of this pain.

You don’t have to go through this alone. All of our highly trained therapists help people work through trauma. We’ll provide space for you to process whatever you need to, and we’ll support you in moving through your traumas to find healing and relief. Just reach out.