What is trauma?

A trauma is anything that is so upsetting or disturbing that our system becomes overwhelmed and cannot properly process the experience.   Our brain is actually unable to store the material the way it does with normal experiences.  This results in often feeling like the past is here in the present and can lead to a number of overwhelming symptoms – 

Common emotional or psychological symptoms include anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, denial, dissociation and guilt (+ so many others).

Somatic or physical symptoms can include nightmares or flashbacks, hypervigilance, panic attacks, fatigue, headaches, changes in eating or sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and chronic pain (+ so many others).

The relational effects of trauma can include difficulty trusting, feeling an unhealthy attachment to others, challenges with sex and/or intimacy, and isolation (+ so many others).

While talk therapy can be incredibly beneficial, research is continuing to show that to be effective, the healing of trauma needs to be done on a body and nervous system level.

This is why Live Full therapists utilize EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and other interventions that work with both the brain and body.

EMDR

EMDR (which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), is a highly effective treatment for those who have experienced trauma.  EMDR is a comprehensive therapeutic approach that works to reprocess these experiences, resulting in our brain being able to properly store the material.  EMDR allows our system to naturally complete the healing process so we can remember the traumatic experiences without feeling a strong emotional response.  When trauma is effectively reprocessed, symptoms fall away on their own because they are no longer needed.

At Live Full Therapy, our therapists have advanced certification and/or training in EMDR.  This means we can also utilize EMDR to treat issues such as phobias, complex and developmental trauma, grief, low self-worth, relationship issues, dissociation, some chronic pain, and stress.

To learn more about EMDR, click the button below.

Somatic Experiencing

Trauma and high levels of stress often lead to disruption in the nervous system, due to our natural survival responses being unable to complete.  These survival responses (such as fight + flight + freeze) essentially get stuck in the body, resulting in a variety of post-traumatic stress symptoms.  Somatic Experiencing focuses on building capacity and resources that allow for deep work and change to occur.  The process gently works with the nervous system to discharge and complete those stuck survival responses that were unable to resolve at the time of the traumatic experience. This leads to an increased awareness of and connection to the body, relief of trauma symptoms, diminished pain and fatigue, and an ability to more fully engage in life and relationships.

To learn more about Somatic Experiencing, click the button below.

Additional Modalities

In addition to these modalities, Live Full therapists are trained in a number of other interventions including:

• Brainspotting

• Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM)

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts work

• Art therapies

• Yoga/movement therapies

• Focusing Oriented Relational Psychotherapy (FORP)

• Mindfulness-based interventions

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Treatment is integrative and tailored to each individual’s needs.