Trauma Therapy | My Therapy Space, Inc.

Therapy For Healing Trauma

Moving Beyond Your Past.

Trauma Therapy in Midtown East, Manhattan

& Garden City, Long Island

Are You Feeling Trapped In The Past?

Do you have a hard time trusting yourself or the world around you? Is something from your past keeping you stuck in a cycle of shame, anger, and distress? As a result, do you struggle to stay present and connected in your relationships?

You may have a difficult time managing your stress response and identifying what you’re feeling—what’s otherwise known as emotional dysregulation. Perhaps you’re quick to anger and prone to intense reactions. Or, alternatively, you may feel numb and detached from yourself, reluctant to face and feel your emotions.

It’s possible you regularly experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, including chronic worry, sadness, low self-esteem, and an inability to stay present or find joy. Physical symptoms like muscle tension and pain keep you from relaxing. But despite being tired, you may have trouble sleeping or struggle with nightmares.

If you battle with intrusive thoughts or disruptive flashbacks, it may be a sign of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can cause symptoms similar to those of depression and anxiety while also jeopardizing your ability to trust yourself and others. This can result in a profound sense of estrangement, which is likely to impact your close relationships.

Yet it’s easier to dull the pain of your past than to grapple with unpleasant memories, so you may choose to engage in numbing or self-destructive behaviors, including substance abuse. And because you’ve developed such an untrusting view of the world, you probably feel as though no one could ever relate to you.

But you are not alone in your experience. A trauma therapist can help you find hope as you develop more trust and compassion toward yourself and the world around you.

Most Of Us Are Or Will Be Trauma Survivors

Trauma can be scary, disorienting, and isolating, and it can affect us in lasting ways. PTSD is a common condition that results in a wide variety of symptoms and from a wide variety of life events, making this an incredibly prevalent mental health issue. In fact, according to the National Council for Behavioral Health, most adults in the US (70 percent) will survive some type of traumatic event in their lifetimes.

There Are A Variety Of Events That May Result In A Traumatic Response

Everyone experiences their trauma differently, and any frightening, unexpected event that threatens our sense of safety has the potential to result in emotional dysregulation. For example, shock trauma is a trauma that typically occurs as a single-incident event, literally “shocking” the nervous system. Such events may be related to an assault, accident, injury, natural disaster, or instance of violence (which may involve military combat).

On the other hand, complex trauma is characterized by a repetitive, ongoing nature. This type of trauma includes childhood abuse and neglect, emotionally/verbally abusive parents and partners, domestic violence, exposure to crime, chronic illness, and living in a war zone. A complex pattern of trauma can also develop as the result of cultural, systemic, and intergenerational adversity, which is especially common in historically marginalized populations experiencing frequent injustice.

Unfortunately, certain barriers are preventing those who have PTSD from getting the treatment they need. There is not much value placed on reflecting and processing emotions in a culture that promotes unwavering excellence, toxic positivity, and constant productivity. Not to mention, a lack of access, cultural competence, and trauma-informed care can make finding the right counselor or type of therapy difficult.

Yet, I am here to offer meaningful support and guidance as you navigate the challenges that seem too big to overcome. With my trauma-informed approach to counseling, you can connect with your emotions, re-establish trust, and heal.

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Therapy Is A Chance To Understand And Gently Process Your Trauma

The pain of trauma can sometimes feel insurmountable, but working together in treatment, we will address your symptoms and develop new, more self-compassionate perspectives. As you find clarity and relief in the parts work inherent in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, you can improve your confidence and daily functioning.

How Family Systems And Parts Work Heal Core Wounds

IFS therapy is particularly helpful for trauma because it enhances your self-compassion and gets at the core of your pain instead of only addressing surface-level behaviors. By accepting and finding value in all of your emotions, you can let go of shame and enhance your sense of connection.

Because I pair IFS with mindfulness techniques in trauma treatment, you will be able to identify triggers and uncomfortable sensations before they escalate. In addition, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a verified gentle trauma treatment that allows you to clear stuck trauma and overcome negative self-beliefs. With the awareness you gain in therapy, you can reduce uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety and depression. And your relationships will improve as you foster new feelings of trust and affirmation.

Slowly and safely, we will collaborate to understand the history of your trauma and its impact on your life. Working together in therapy, we can get you to a more peaceful, self-assured place where trauma doesn’t maintain control over your life.

You are not alone in your experiences and emotions, and you don’t have to be alone in exploring them. Therapy offers clarity, encouragement, and growth on the path to healing from trauma.

Maybe You’re Interested In Seeing A Therapist For Trauma, But You’re Not Sure If Counseling Is Right For You…

"I am worried that I will have to share everything about my trauma in therapy. "

I fully acknowledge that some of your experiences may be painful or difficult to discuss. As such, you will never be forced to share anything you don’t want to talk about, and you are always entitled to keep any part of your history private.

It’s my experience that in treatment, clients become increasingly comfortable with sharing painful parts of their past—often finding it very beneficial and healing. No matter what you decide to disclose in counseling, we will explore your trauma at a safe, comfortable pace.

"My traumatic experience occurred so long ago—I should be over it by now."

If you’re living in pain, it’s important to seek support and not hold yourself to the harmful expectation that your trauma has an expiration date.

Unhealed trauma can result in ongoing physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. Even if your trauma occurred years ago or you experienced trauma or abuse as a child, counseling using IFS, EMDR, and mindfulness can help you peel back the layers to the core of your wounds. That way, you can treat the trauma at its root as you develop a more compassionate view of yourself.

"How long does trauma treatment last?"

There is no simple answer to this question, as everyone comes to therapy with different goals and needs. Some people stay in treatment for a few months, while others need a year or more of counseling to explore their trauma fully. Whatever the case may be, I will regularly check in with you to ensure that therapy is helping you make progress and facilitating your healing.

Trust In What The Future Has To Offer

Trauma often keeps you stuck in the past, but therapy allows you to move forward. Together in treatment, we can heal your pain.

The trauma services I offer through My Therapy Space, Inc. are available throughout Manhattan and in Garden City, Long Island. To schedule a free, 15-minute consultation, please visit my contact page.

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