Trauma Therapy
Has Your Past Left You Feeling Stuck In Fight, Flight, Or Freeze?
Understanding Trauma: More Than Just "Bad Experiences"
Trauma isn't defined by the event itself, but by your nervous system's response when overwhelmed beyond its capacity to cope. While natural disasters, accidents, or violence can certainly cause trauma, so can less obvious experiences like emotional neglect, medical procedures, or witnessing others' suffering.
Your body remembers what your mind may have tried to forget. This explains why trauma symptoms can emerge years after the original events, sometimes triggered by seemingly unrelated circumstances or even positive life changes like a promotion or new relationship.
Do you find yourself constantly bracing for danger, even in safe environments? Perhaps certain sounds, smells, or situations send your nervous system into overdrive without warning. Many trauma survivors describe feeling disconnected from themselves—as if watching life happen from behind a glass wall.
The effects of trauma can ripple through every aspect of your life. Relationships might feel impossible to navigate. Sleep could be disrupted by nightmares or hypervigilance. You might rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms just to make it through the day. Or perhaps you've become so good at functioning that nobody realizes how much you're struggling beneath the surface.
At Holistic Counseling, we understand these struggles intimately. Our specialized trauma therapists bring extensive training and genuine compassion to the healing process. Through our whole-person approach that honors the connection between mind, body, and spirit, we create a safe space where true healing can unfold at your pace.
Recognizing Signs Your Body Is Carrying Trauma
Research from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing shows that approximately 70% of adults in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, with up to 20% developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Yet many people don't recognize their symptoms as trauma-related, attributing them instead to character flaws or weakness.
You might be experiencing the effects of unresolved trauma if you:
Feel constantly on alert, scanning for threats even in safe environments
Experience intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
Notice yourself shutting down emotionally or physically during stress
Have unexplained physical symptoms that medical tests can't explain
Struggle with establishing trust or maintaining healthy boundaries
Find yourself avoiding people, places, or activities that trigger distress
Experience intense emotional reactions that feel disproportionate
Use substances, food, work, or other behaviors to numb uncomfortable feelings
Many trauma survivors have developed remarkable coping strategies that helped them survive difficult circumstances. However, these same strategies often become limitations when the danger has passed. With professional support, you can honor these protective mechanisms while developing new resources better suited to your present life.
Our Specialized Approach to Trauma Healing
At Holistic Counseling, we recognize that trauma doesn't just affect your thoughts—it changes your entire nervous system, body, and sense of self. That's why we've developed a comprehensive approach that addresses trauma's impact at every level of your being.
The Holistic Difference
Our trauma-specialized therapists have received advanced training in multiple evidence-based modalities, including certification programs through respected organizations like the Trauma Research Foundation, the EMDR International Association, and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
We understand that talking about trauma isn't enough—true healing requires a body-based approach that helps regulate your nervous system while processing difficult experiences. Our integrative method typically incorporates:
Nervous System Regulation: Teaching practical skills to manage activation and create safety in your body
Mindful Awareness: Building your capacity to stay present during emotional distress
Somatic Processing: Using movement, breath, and body awareness to release stored trauma
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Using guided eye movements to change how your brain stores traumatic memories
Internal Family Systems (IFS): Healing fragmented aspects of self through compassionate inner dialogue
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART): Helping your brain process traumatic memories so they no longer feel threatening
We carefully tailor our approach to your unique needs, recognizing that each person's healing journey looks different. Throughout therapy, you'll gain practical tools to regulate your emotions, establish healthy boundaries, build meaningful connections, and gradually reclaim parts of yourself that trauma may have disconnected.
The transformation our clients experience goes beyond symptom reduction—they report feeling more alive, connected, and authentic as their true selves emerge from behind trauma's protective walls.
Common Questions About Trauma Therapy
I've learned to function with my trauma. Why stir things up now?
Many survivors have developed remarkable coping mechanisms that allow them to function despite significant trauma. This resilience is commendable! However, these coping strategies often come with hidden costs—depleted energy, limited joy, restricted relationships, or physical health problems.
Healing trauma doesn't mean reliving painful experiences or losing the strength you've developed. Rather, it's about integrating these experiences so they become part of your story rather than defining your identity. Our clients often report feeling more energy, greater ease in relationships, and increased capacity for joy as therapy progresses.
How can therapy help if my trauma happened years ago?
Your brain stores traumatic memories differently than ordinary experiences—they remain "frozen in time," which explains why they can feel as intense now as when they first occurred. Thankfully, our brains remain flexible throughout life, capable of forming new neural pathways when given the right support.
The evidence-based approaches we use are specifically designed to access and transform these stored memories, regardless of when they occurred. We've witnessed profound healing in clients whose trauma happened decades earlier, proving it's never too late to release the past's hold on your present.
Will I have to talk about all the details of what happened to me?
One of the most common misconceptions about trauma therapy is that it requires extensively revisiting painful memories. While some approaches do involve processing specific events, our therapists are skilled in techniques that can heal trauma without requiring detailed retelling.
We always start by establishing safety and building your capacity to regulate your nervous system. You remain in control of the pace and depth of our work together. Many clients are surprised to discover how much healing can happen without having to recount their most painful moments in detail.
How can I trust that therapy will be confidential?
Confidentiality is the cornerstone of effective therapy. Your experiences, thoughts, and feelings remain private within our therapeutic relationship, with only a few legally mandated exceptions (such as imminent risk of harm to yourself or others). We'll discuss these limits to confidentiality in detail during your first session.
We understand that trauma often involves violations of trust, which can make the therapeutic relationship itself feel risky. Our therapists approach this dynamic with sensitivity, respecting your boundaries and earning your trust gradually rather than expecting it immediately.
Begin Your Healing Journey Today
At Holistic Counseling, we believe in your innate capacity to heal. The symptoms you're experiencing aren't character flaws or signs of weakness—they're normal responses to abnormal circumstances. With compassionate guidance and evidence-based approaches, you can transform your relationship with trauma and reclaim your sense of wholeness.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our trauma-specialized therapists. We offer both in-person and secure online sessions to clients throughout Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming.
If you're experiencing a crisis or need immediate support, please contact:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)