You don’t have to keep carrying what happened to you.
 

Trauma can change the way you see yourself, your relationships, and the world around you. Even when you know that something is in the past, your mind and body may continue to respond as though the danger is still happening.
 

You might find yourself constantly on edge, replaying conversations or experiences, avoiding certain situations, struggling to trust others, or feeling overwhelmed by emotions that seem to come out of nowhere. Or maybe you’ve spent years pushing through, staying busy, and telling yourself that what happened “wasn’t that bad”... but something still doesn’t feel settled.
 

Trauma therapy can help you understand these responses, feel safer in your body, and begin healing from experiences that continue to affect your life.
 

Trauma Doesn't Always Look Like Trauma

When people hear the word trauma, they often think of one catastrophic event. But trauma can also develop through experiences that happen repeatedly or over time.
 

This may include:

• Childhood trauma or emotional neglect

• Difficult or unstable family relationships

• Abusive or unhealthy relationships

• Sexual assault or interpersonal violence

• Loss or traumatic grief

• Medical trauma

• Postpartum trauma

• Exposure to violence or traumatic events

• Experiences related to high-stress professions

• Betrayal or abandonment

• Chronic criticism, rejection, or feeling unsafe

• Other experiences that changed the way you see yourself or the world
   

Sometimes you know exactly where your symptoms began. Other times, you may simply recognize that certain patterns keep showing up in your life.

Both are valid reasons to seek support.

 

You may also notice negative beliefs about yourself such as:

"I'm not safe."

"I'm not good enough."

"I should have done something differently."

"I can't trust anyone."

"I have to stay in control."

Therapy can help you understand where these patterns came from while creating space for something different.
 

What Is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy commonly used to treat trauma and PTSD.

Unlike some approaches to trauma therapy, EMDR does not require you to repeatedly describe every detail of what happened.

 

Instead, EMDR helps your brain process distressing experiences that may still feel emotionally “stuck.” During EMDR, we identify memories, emotions, beliefs, and body sensations connected to your current distress and use bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or other alternating stimulation, as part of the processing process.
 

The goal isn't to erase the memory or convince you that what happened didn't matter.
 

The goal is for the memory to become something that happened then, rather than something your nervous system continues to experience as though it is happening now.

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Contact Lanie Mathis Counseling to schedule a consultation or learn more about Trauma & EMDR Therapy.