The past has a way of showing up uninvited
You may know exactly what happened to you. Or you may only know that something isn’t right: you startle too easily, sleep badly, shut down in conflict, or feel like you’re watching your own life through glass. You may have already told yourself it wasn’t that bad, that other people had it worse, that you should be over it.
Trauma doesn’t care about “should.” It leaves your nervous system braced for a danger that has usually passed, and it keeps you reacting to the present as if it were the past. That isn’t weakness. It’s a body that learned to protect you and never got the message that it can stand down.
Stability first, then the rest
You are in charge of the pace. That is the first rule of trauma therapy with me, and the rest follows from it.
- Stability. Before we look back, we make sure you have solid footing now: ways to calm your body, manage triggers, and get through the week. For some people this stage is most of the work, and that’s a real outcome.
- Understanding. We connect what happened to what you’re experiencing, so your reactions make sense instead of feeling random.
- Processing, when you’re ready. With safety in place, we approach the memories themselves so they lose their charge and become something that happened rather than something that’s still happening.
- Reconnecting. Rebuilding trust in yourself, in other people, and in a future that isn’t organized around avoiding pain.
You will never be pushed to relive something before you’re ready, and you’ll always know what we’re doing and why.
Kinds of trauma I work with
- Sudden events: accidents, assaults, medical emergencies, hurricanes and flooding
- Loss that was traumatic as well as grief-filled (see grief counseling in Houston)
- Childhood neglect, abuse, or growing up in chaos
- Emotionally abusive relationships
- Medical trauma and the shock of a serious diagnosis
- The cumulative weight of caregiving, first-responder work, and healthcare work
If you’re not sure whether what you carry counts, bring that question to a first session.
Trauma therapy online, across Texas
Sessions are by secure video from your home. Being in your own space during this kind of work is often an advantage. You can end a session and already be exactly where you want to be.
Book an online trauma therapy session, or ask Laura a question first. Costs are explained on the insurance and fees page.