Orlando, FL and Online throughout FL & SC

Counseling for Trauma

The past does not define you.

Does it feel like life has knocked you down?

Shame and low self-worth are a constant companion.

Relationships are difficult and unstable.

You live on high alert and are constantly on guard.

Sleep is difficult, nightmares are frequent.

What is Trauma?

A traumatic event is anything that overwhelms your nervous system and normal ability to cope.

It can have effects that last for years. The word trauma comes from a Greek word meaning “wound.” The impacts of these wounds are deep. You keep trying to move forward, to experience life differently, to put the past behind you yet you find yourself stuck. Trauma impacts the present until it has been resolved.

  • It looks like being in a constant state of high alert, of feeling like there could be danger at any turn. You may feel more jittery, anxious, or have a noticeable startle response even in safe situations.

  • You are constantly on guard, struggle trusting, and keep a wall between you and others which keep you feeling lonelier and more disconnected. Or you may even struggle being alone, feeling the need to always have someone with you. Relationships are challenging and you aren’t sure how to change the pattern you are in.

  • Your regular coping mechanisms aren’t working, and you find yourself avoiding anything that reminds you of your painful experiences. You may even turn to substances like drugs or alcohol, experience disordered eating, or struggle with an eating disorder.

  • Your sense of self-worth is low, feelings of shame drive you, and you have a harsh inner critic that judges you every chance it can.

  • You are not sure who you are and feel like the trauma you experienced defines you.

There is hope!

Facing trauma can feel intimidating, yet it is possible for you to heal and experience freedom. You can have…

  • If trauma has robbed you of your sense of self-worth, then therapy can help restore that. Instead of feeling shame, you can begin to value yourself again. You can offer yourself kindness and respect and realize you are worthy and deserving of freedom.

  • You don’t have to live with all that “noise” inside your head – anxious thoughts, racing thoughts, hypervigilance, suspicions. You can experience inner peace. You can become calm and grounded.

  • You can identify who safe people are, learn to set appropriate boundaries, allow yourself to receive care, and be able to experience connection and community with others.

  • You can know who you are at the core, realize your gifts, abilities, and begin to thrive as you live in alignment with your values, goals, and who you are created to be. You experience a sense of purpose as you live from a grounded and confident space.

  • The past no longer defines you, it is a part of your story, but you can be free of its negative impact. You can learn to live in the present moment, utilize healthy coping skills, and have hope for a bright future.

Above all else, you can live each and every day with a sense of hope.

 A life of healing and freedom is possible!

Through trauma therapy at Wellspring Therapy Associates you will…

  • Experience Connection: With a safe and trusted therapist, your story will be heard and understood.

  • Develop Coping Skills: You will learn how to calm your nervous system, regulate emotions, reduce distress, and challenge thinking errors.

  • Identify Core Beliefs: Negative core beliefs that stem from trauma will be identified and together with your therapist you will be able to challenge them, and change them to beliefs based on truth rather than trauma.

  • Desensitize the trauma: Through EMDR or other evidence-based trauma therapies, you will be able to reduce the distress you feel and see your trauma as a scar in your story rather than an open wound.

Trauma doesn’t have to hold you down.

It’s time for you to take back your life!

Book First Appointment

Frequently asked questions about trauma counseling

    • Childhood Sexual Abuse

    • Sexual Assault

    • Intimate Partner Violence

    • Childhood neglect

    • Attachment Trauma

    • PTSD

    • Single Incident Trauma

    • Complex Trauma

    • …and more

  • Trauma is anything that overwhelms your nervous system's ability to cope at any given moment. It has more to do with the impact of the situation on you, rather than the event itself. There is single incident trauma, which is one event or situation and there is complex trauma which occurs often over a period of time.

    Some of the symptoms people face when they have experienced trauma include a heightened startle response, feelings of guilt or shame, increased anxiety, depression, difficulty with sleep, difficulty concentrating, nausea, headaches, memory issues, feeling numb, flashbacks, nightmares, a sense of being detached, withdrawing, and the felt need to avoid any reminder of the event.

  • It takes courage and determination to engage in trauma therapy. Facing the painful or traumatic elements of your story is not easy. Initially, focusing on the impact of trauma may increase feelings of distress. However, the goal is not to overwhelm you, but rather at a pace you can tolerate, begin to process through the elements of your story so that you do not have to be emotionally, physically, psychologically, and relationally held captive or debilitated by the past.

  • Absolutely! Relationships can suffer as a result of trauma. Some people find they are unable to trust, have walls up and are guarded. Others find they are in one toxic relationship after another and aren’t sure why. Many people find they feel insecure in relationships and are in a state of high alert which increases reactivity.

    Through therapy for trauma, you can connect authentically to others, be less reactive, have decreased conflict, be able to identify healthy vs. unhealthy relationship patterns, set appropriate boundaries, and experience increased joy in relationships.