PTSD / Trauma

Therapy for Trauma and PTSD

PTSD Counseling in Virginia Beach – Norfolk – Chesapeake

Most individuals go through traumatic events in their life of varying degrees such as a car accident, divorce, death of a loved one, abuse, assault, a natural disaster or harsh conditions of war, etc. Often, people recover from challenging and/or traumatic events with time and support of family and friends. For some, the effects of trauma are lasting and cause a great deal of emotional pain, fear, confusion and, in some cases, PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) long after the event has passed. I have specialized training and experience in aiding individuals, couples and families recovering from trauma here in Virginia for almost two decades.

What Is PTSD?

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a psychological reaction to a severely stressful or life threatening event that may result in anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, depression, hypervigilance or avoidance and numbing for an extended period of time. People who experience PTSD may continue to feel afraid or anxious long after the event has passed. It is important to remember the symptoms of PTSD can be managed and treated, and you can HEAL from the traumatic event(s).

As a professional clinician, I am competent in working with individuals who have experienced a variety of traumatic events in their life. I know it can be difficult to talk about these events and often times you would just rather avoid them. However, avoidance often does not allow for deep healing. Therefore, I recognize the importance of creating a space in my office where you feel in control to go at your own pace. I do not want you to become retraumatized by your sharing. Therefore, we pace each session to allow for processing deep feelings, while working to calm any nervous system activation at the same time. When working with youth, sessions may focus on processing troubling memories through play, art and movement. One of our biggest priorities is to create a safe space in which you feel in control of the pace and direction of the sessions.