Together, we’ll explore your past with understanding and practical tools, helping you gain insight into your strengths and paving the way for a future filled with joy.

Childhood Trauma:

Physical, Emotional, or Sexual Abuse: Chronic abuse can disrupt emotional development and cause long-term relational difficulties.

Neglect and Abandonment: The lack of emotional or physical care during formative years can impair attachment and self-worth.

Household Dysfunction: Living with a caregiver who has mental illness, substance abuse issues, or experiencing domestic violence creates a chaotic and insecure environment, impacting trust and safety.

Inconsistent Caregivers: Frequent changes in primary caregivers, such as foster care or adoption, can make it difficult for a child to form secure attachments.

Traumatic Loss or Separation: Loss of a caregiver due to death, incarceration, or long separations can hinder a child’s emotional stability and attachment security.

Domestic Abuse: Prolonged emotional or physical abuse from a partner or family member creates trauma due to ongoing control, fear, and lack of safety.

Institutional Abuse: Trauma from institutional settings (e.g., prison, foster care, religious institutions) can compound a sense of helplessness and powerlessness.

Poverty: Long-term financial instability can create a constant state of stress, leading to a sense of unpredictability and fear for basic survival.

Racism and Discrimination: Ongoing exposure to discrimination or oppression can lead to complex trauma, as it creates chronic stress and can impact one’s identity and sense of safety.

Chronic Illness or Pain: Managing ongoing health challenges, particularly in childhood, can result in trauma as it can often bring feelings of helplessness and fear.

Medical Procedures: Repeated or invasive procedures, particularly when involving insufficient emotional support, can create trauma responses and anxiety around medical settings.

Complex PTSD (C-PTSD):

Complex PTSD is often associated with complex trauma and includes symptoms of traditional PTSD (such as flashbacks and hypervigilance) along with additional symptoms like difficulties with identity, self-perception, and interpersonal relationships. C-PTSD is more commonly diagnosed in people who have experienced prolonged trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or exploitation.