Trauma

Trauma is a psychological and emotional response to distressing or life-threatening events that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope. These events can be singular, such as a car accident or natural disaster, or prolonged, such as ongoing abuse or neglect. The event itself does not solely define trauma but by the individual’s subjective experience and their ability to process and recover from it. When the mind and body cannot return to a baseline of safety and equilibrium after such an event, the person may experience persistent feelings of fear, helplessness, and anxiety. Trauma can affect both mental and physical health, often leading to symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, emotional numbness, and, in more severe cases, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

From a clinical perspective, trauma disrupts the normal functioning of the brain, particularly areas responsible for emotion regulation, memory, and stress response. The amygdala, which governs fear and threat detection, can become overactive. At the same time, the hippocampus, critical for memory processing, may shrink, impairing the individual’s ability to distinguish between past and present dangers. This neurobiological impact can leave trauma survivors feeling perpetually unsafe or disconnected from reality. Trauma is also linked to various physical health issues, such as chronic pain, cardiovascular problems, and gastrointestinal distress. As trauma profoundly affects an individual’s emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, effective treatment must address these complexities, often through a combination of somatic therapies, mindfulness strategies, and exposure treatments.

Elana and her staff are trained and certified in various somatic-based trauma treatments that are highly effective in treating trauma. Elana is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, Mindfulness Strategies and Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment.

Note: It is very important to contact your medical physician if you have been sexually abused in the last 72 hours.