“Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”
—bell hooks
HEAL FROM TRAUMA, RECLAIM YOUR LIFE
If you're feeling overwhelmed by grief or struggling with trauma, it's time to seek help. Together, we will confront those memories and emotions that have held you back, using EMDR techniques that are proven to work. As you progress, you'll discover emotional stability, a renewed sense of self, and the ability to build healthier relationships. Let's walk this path together and find your way back to a fulfilling life.
trauma therapy in dallas
why can’t i get over it?
Do you relate to any of the following?
Relationship issues
Flashbacks to the past
Difficulty trusting others and yourself
Chronic shame and low self-esteem
Emotional dysregulation
Anxiety and worry
Depression and/or suicidal thoughts
Beliefs that you are not good enough or unlovable
Feeling numb, zoning out, or memory gaps
Certain places or people remind me of the past causing anxiety or fear—family members, church buildings, a school, or other reminders of trauma
I work with trauma survivors of—
Childhood sexual abuse and physical abuse
Childhood emotional abuse and neglect
Religious trauma + spiritual abuse
Sexual assault + intimate partner violence
Death of a loved one
LGBTQIA+ marginalization
How Trauma Affects You
Have you ever felt unlovable, unworthy, or that there’s something wrong with you, even when you know "it wasn't all that bad"? The truth is, getting over trauma isn't simple because your brain is wired to protect you.
Here's a breakdown of what happens:
Normal Memory: Under normal circumstances, your brain stores memories in a clear, organized way. You remember an event, and life goes on.
Trauma Memory: When you experience something traumatic, your brain goes into fight, flight, or freeze mode. This floods your body with chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol to help you survive. To focus on immediate survival, the brain shuts down non-essential functions, storing the memory differently.
This is why you can't just "get over it." Your body is wise and remembers what happened, even if your mind can't.
The Aftermath of Trauma
Because your brain stored the traumatic event as a "snapshot," it can be easily triggered by similar sights, sounds, or sensations later in life. For example, a certain facial expression or sound might cause your brain’s alarms to go off, even when you are perfectly safe.
This is the case with many different types of trauma, including:
An abusive childhood
Religious or spiritual trauma
Physical or sexual assault
Grief and loss
The aftermath often leaves you feeling unsafe or unworthy. It's not your fault that you cannot easily move past your past.
A Path to Healing
Trauma-informed therapy can help you address these core issues. It provides a way to work through the painful memories that are holding you back so you can find peace and reclaim your life.
childhood trauma therapy
Childhood trauma looks like:
Verbal insults, put-downs, name-calling, or yelling
Being hit, pushed, shoved, or physically harmed by a parent or adult
Lack of emotional connection or not feeling loved as a child
Sexual abuse
Family member had a mental illness, substance use addiction, or was incarcerated
Community violence or lack of environmental safety
The Lingering Effects of Childhood Trauma
You might feel "behind" in life, whether it's in your career, finances, or relationships. Perhaps you find yourself thinking, "it couldn't have been that bad," or "my parents loved me," but you think your childhood may have affected you more than you've been able to realize.
You are not alone in feeling this way. Trauma from a difficult childhood can manifest as:
Feeling fundamentally "wrong" or flawed
Overwhelming, all-consuming emotions
Feeling "frozen" or "numb"
Struggles with adult friendships or romantic relationships
Unstable career paths or finances
These feelings are not a moral failing or a personal weakness. They are a sign that your body and mind are holding onto past experiences that need to be healed.
A New Perspective on Healing
Trauma-informed therapy isn't about "getting over" the past. It's about processing and integrating your experiences so you can make new choices and create a life that feels authentic to you.
Your trauma response is a survival mechanism—the wisdom of your body protecting you. I am here to help you listen to that wisdom and guide you toward a future where you can find peace and freedom.
signs of childhood trauma:
Few or no memories of childhood
Low self-esteem
Recurrent, painful memories of childhood experiences
Relationship instability as an adult
Sudden changes in mood
Depression and anxiety
Difficulty regulating emotions
Dissociation (amnesia, memory gaps, zoning out)
Do you relate to any of the following?
Religious experiences still bother you
Chronic shame
Perfectionism
Anxiety and depression
Reminders of religious/spiritual group cause emotional distress, panic, or fear
Uncontrollable thoughts and obsessions about being a bad person
Beliefs about yourself: I am a bad person, I am unlovable, I don’t belong
Self-blame and guilt
Beliefs that you are not good enough or unlovable
religious trauma therapy in richardson and dallas, texas
Understanding Religious Trauma
Trauma is your body's way of remembering the past, and religious trauma is a specific type of this. It's the body and mind holding onto the programming and rules you learned in order to belong to a family, church, or group.
Regardless of your current beliefs, you may be struggling with:
Fear of punishment or divine retribution
Chronic shame and guilt
A deep sense of identity loss
Belief that your emotions, sexual identity, or gender identity are "sinful"
You may even feel unable to question what you were taught due to a fear of losing your community or belonging. If you've sought help before, you might have been met with judgment or unhelpful religious "counseling," which only added to the confusion and pain.
What Is Religious Trauma?
According to the Religious Trauma Institute (RTI), religious trauma is defined as:
"The physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope and return to a sense of safety."
RTI also defines spiritual abuse as:
"Any conscious or unconscious use of power to direct, control, or manipulate another’s body, thoughts, emotions, actions, or capacity for choice, freedom, or autonomy of self, within a spiritual or religious context."
Simply put, religious trauma is real trauma. You deserve a therapist who understands the profound impact of spiritual abuse, especially during childhood development and throughout life.
A Path to Healing
Trauma therapy offers a safe space to rewire these deeply ingrained responses. It's a place where you can freely explore your identity and beliefs without any fear of judgment. Here, you can find the freedom to be your authentic self and begin the healing process.
FAQs
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Finding a therapist can be daunting and time-consuming. It is SCARY to envision the person you will “spill it all” to with the hope that they will understand your journey. Most therapists offer a free consultation to ask questions and see if you would be a good fit to work together. Book a free consultation today to see if we are a good fit!
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You are likely at the point here you desperately want relief and change. This is a common sentiment for those newly beginning or continuing their healing journey. You may feel hopeless given the many things you have tried to get better. This is valid, especially if other approaches have not worked for you in past counseling or self-help efforts. Though mental health professionals cannot ethically “guarantee” results, the biggest predictor of therapy “working” is the solid relationship you have with the therapist. It can be helpful to explore in initial sessions what fears you are bringing into the work. No particular approach is going to be the ideal solution for everyone. It is okay to explore a wide range of approaches and healing techniques.
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No, my services are private pay at this time. However, I can provide a monthly superbill you can submit to your insurance for possible out-of-network benefits.
In 2021, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury issued the No Surprises Act which requires medical care professionals to disclose their fees to patients through a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). You will sign a GFE in your intake paperwork which outlines the cost of therapy breakdown for weekly/biweekly session frequency. It is NOT a bill. For more information visit: https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/policies-and-resources/overview-of-rules-fact-sheets.
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Everyone heals at their own pace. Therapy can often be a non-liner process (particularly with complex trauma). Once you meet with your therapist, discuss goals for treatment, and develop your treatment plan, you may have a better sense on a timeline with treatment.
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Typically, sessions are scheduled weekly for 50 minutes. However, session frequency depends on finances, availability, and your specific treatment needs. Biweekly and monthly frequencies are also an option depending on your initial treatment planning with the therapist. For ketamine-assisted therapy, your dosing sessions with be spaced out at least two weeks and 6-8 sessions is recommended at minimum to see the full benefit.
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When you meet for the first session, you will receive a text message on your phone from the payment application, IvyPay. At that time, you will upload a payment card and will receive a receipt via text message. A card is kept on file and payments occur automatically after each appointment.
