Traumatic experiences can keep our body and emotions stuck in the past, in a perpetual fight/flight/freeze loop. I included addiction in this category, because it is my experience that addiction almost always stems from sort of trauma or painful experience. Addiction is never the problem in itself, but an attempted solution to the problem.

When I use the word trauma, I refer to more “obvious” traumatic events such as the experience of ones life being threatened, sexual assault and war. But I also refer to more insidious forms of trauma, such as relational trauma, the experience of marginalization, and emotional neglect. The lasting effects of not getting your core needs met, can lead to a sense of isolation, depression and anxiety.

Trauma is not always about what happened to you, but sometimes it’s the result of the  good things that should have happened, but didn’t.

I am trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) for working with trauma. This evidenced-based approach is centered around the idea that our mind is made up of multiple “parts”. Traumatic experiences can make these parts become fragmented and stuck in extreme roles in a desperate attempt to get their needs met. IFS helps you to develop compassion for these extreme parts and connect back to core Self which is naturally calm, curious, creative, courageous  and compassionate.  Through becoming more Self-led you can heal traumatized parts, and live life with more ease.