Trauma Therapy in Newton, MA—Therapists and Counselors at Thriveworks
When you experience or witness a traumatic event, the effects don’t always hit you right away. In certain cases, they stay dormant for a while… until you’re triggered. If you witnessed a violent act, shouting or aggression might trigger you. If you survived a natural disaster, strong winds or flood warnings might trigger you. If you lost a loved one, sirens or even sappy movies might trigger you. In any case, when it comes to trauma, these triggers can result in fear, anxiety, fatigue, and a sense of impending danger or doom.
“Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing creates change you do choose.”
–Michele Rosenthal
While you cannot change your exposure to trauma, you can control what you do next. You can choose to begin trauma therapy and find healing. Your trauma therapist will help you learn how to cope with the harmful consequences of the traumatic experience and better manage your symptoms.
If you think you could benefit from working with a trauma therapist or psychologist, reach out to Thriveworks Counseling in Newton, MA. We have mental health professionals who specialize in trauma therapy and know just how to help you on your journey toward healing. They are experts in their field, and they truly care about your wellbeing—they want to help you live a happy, healthy life after trauma.
What Are the Symptoms of Trauma? Causes?
Everyone reacts to trauma in different ways, both physically and emotionally. That said, there are common symptoms of trauma. “Symptoms of PTSD include distressing memories, flashbacks, and nightmares,” says Jessica Caira, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor at our Newton office. “You may also notice yourself avoiding people or places that remind you of the traumatic event and struggle with a negative self-image.
We mentioned a few potential causes of trauma above. But let’s delve a little deeper. The following are traumatic experiences that can result in PTSD:
- Active military combat
- Physical and/or sexual assault
- Witnessing a natural disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane
- Living through a car accident
- Being cheated on by a significant other
- Getting bullied as a child
- Getting seriously injured
- Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
- Experiencing the loss of a loved one
How Can a Trauma Therapist Help?
Therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for PTSD. It is extremely important that individuals who experience signs of PTSD seek help from a mental health professional as soon as possible, so as to heal properly. It’s possible that their illness will grow more severe if they do not seek treatment.
Therapy might focus on targeting symptoms of PTSD directly. It might also focus on the individual’s ability to function properly in important areas of life such as at work or in their relationships. “Therapy can help teach grounding techniques to manage the symptoms of PTSD,” Caira explains. “We will also support you in processing the trauma and learning to manage the negative thought patterns associated with the event.”
- Spending quality time with loved ones: Another effect of trauma is withdrawal or isolation. This only worsens your emotional and mental state, so it’s important that you break out of your shell and spend some quality time with your loved ones.
- Utilizing mindfulness and relaxation techniques: You might also find yourself in a hypervigilant state after experiencing trauma, which is essentially sensory overload. To calm your mind and anxiety, try engaging in mindfulness or relaxation techniques.
- Capitalizing on the power of movement: Trauma can cause you to feel frozen in a state of fear. You can counter this reaction by moving running, swimming, dancing, even walking. Even 10 or 15 minutes of movement can go a long way and help you regain control over your body.
See a Trauma Therapist, Psychologist at Thriveworks in Newton, MA
A trauma therapist at Thriveworks Counseling in Newton, MA can work with you to improve your response to future triggers and better control all of the negative effects that you are experiencing. They can help you understand your symptoms and also assist you in adapting self-care activities that will prove to help your battle against PTSD as well.
If you’re ready to reclaim control of your life and take this important step toward healing, book an appointment at Thriveworks. Just give us a call at (617) 992-2827 and a scheduling specialist will help to get you all set up with one of our skilled, caring providers. They will ask you a few questions, such as what issue you are presenting and when you were hoping to meet with a counselor. Thriveworks Counseling offers flexible hours: in addition to weekday and daytime appointments, we offer weekend and evening sessions. This further enables us to accomplish our mission of providing you with quality mental health services that make a difference in your life.
Are you ready to begin trauma therapy? If so, reach out to Thriveworks Counseling in Newton, MA. We are eager to help you on this journey, and we can’t wait to meet you.
