Trauma and Complex Trauma
Adriana began her career in therapy when she discovered her ability to help people feel at ease enough to share deeply hurtful and traumatic experiences. She primarily begins trauma therapy by building a foundation with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Logotherapy and Existential Therapy, with a little bit of Dialectal Behavior Therapy. As an EMDR therapist, she works from the approach of helping your brain naturally heal the negative beliefs and emotions stored in your body from your traumatic experiences.
Trauma & PTSD
Not all trauma ends in PTSD, but all PTSD starts with trauma.
Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but in the individuals experience with the event.
From natural disasters, single traumatic events like car accidents or recurring traumas, like those with abuse or events experienced by First Responders, trauma can wreak havoc on your ability to do normal daily activities. Trauma can cause :
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Anxiety
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Trouble concentrating or focusing
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Relational tension and conflict
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Depression
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Isolation and Avoidance
Overall, it keeps you stuck with one foot in the past and one trying to move forward, that as time continues to move forward, it leaves you stretched out thin!
Adriana provides assessments to each of her clients to assess for PTSD, anxiety and depression. Often times, people will fill out their paperwork like it's an interview or a first date questionnaire! You put your best foot forward and dismiss the real struggles or aren't even aware of the impact on your psychosocial wellbeing! Adriana will help you explore your experiences and will help you create mindfulness around your triggers and provide you with skills to move forward with intention and confidence, while honoring your experience.
Your trauma doesn't define you, but it has the ability to shape what we believe, how we behave and how we connect with others. Don't let your trauma sabatoge your peace and joy.
Complex Trauma (C-PTSD)
Complex Trauma (also known as C-PTSD) is not new. It's been around for as long as humans have existed. Complex trauma is interpersonal trauma. It's relational and attachment issues which created an entire system of beliefs about yourself, the world around you, and others. When you experience a highly conflictual childhood, whether through parental conflict, domestic violence, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), repeated bullying, significant losses, etc., you create system for survival that served you early on, but no longer serves you today. In fact, those thoughts, behaviors and patterns are probably creating a bit of tension in your personal life. Learning your triggers, your beliefs and what your system looks like creates opportunity for awareness and growth.
Adult Children of Narcissist or Borderline Personality Disorders
Being an adult child of a Narcissistic Parent or a child of a Parent Borderline Personality creates layers of traumas, insecurities, and survival coping mechanisms-- a beautiful and intricate system that helped you survive living in an unpredictable or unstable home.
That system is probably keeping you from achieving healthy friendships and romantic relationships as an adult, creating further shame and isolation.
If your parent is still living, or you are married to a person with a personality disorder, they are more than likely never going to change. However, you can create boundaries and learn coping techniques that will help you navigate that type of complicated and toxic relationship.
Lets work on healing that pain and shame you carry so you can learn healthy ways to cope through triggers, connect with others and help you feel more confident in the wonderful person you are.