Healing with Wisdom Tree

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops after a terrifying experience involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm. A person who develops PTSD may have been harmed directly, be aware of harm that happened to a loved one, or witnessed firsthand a harmful event to a loved one or stranger. People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affection, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the disturbing incident, and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. PTSD symptoms are usually worse if the triggering event was deliberately initiated by another person, such as a mugging or kidnapping. Most people with PTSD repeatedly  have flashbacks and relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day as well as in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. Flashbacks may consist of images, sounds, smells, or feelings and are often triggered by ordinary occurrences, such as a door slamming or a car backfiring on the street. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again. In addition, people experiencing PTSD may not outwardly exhibit any of the aforementioned symptoms and often appear as if they are have complete emotional control and have it all together. What they are experiencing internally, however, is a totally different story.

Learn more about Post-Traumatic Disorder (PTSD).

I often work with patients who are struggling with various forms of complex trauma or PTSD related to abuse, neglect, sexual assault, racism, racial violence, or dysfunctional family relationships. I can help you learn how to navigate the problematic emotions arising from these situations, and as our work progresses, you will gradually feel more capable of handling the difficulties that may have once felt like insurmountable challenges.

I am trained in providing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy that provides a safe and supportive environment to help you process and heal from traumatic experiences. I use integrated, compassionate, and evidence-based practices that focus on empowering you to be less emotionally reactive to your past traumas and to confidently reclaim your sense of emotional and mental well-being.