Trauma Therapy
“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.”
-Peter A. Levine
You're exhausted from remembering what happened. It appears that something about your past is holding you back.
Difficulty sleeping, depression, or feeling continuously on edge.
Something has to change. The trauma happened. You deserve to experience healing.
Trauma Therapy CAN Help
It isn’t easy to believe now, but you CAN feel better. We’ll go through this process together, and I’ll tailor each step to your unique needs and circumstances. My approach to Trauma & PTSD therapy comes from a place of empathy and understanding of the dynamics of trauma and witnessing time and time again that incredible healing and wellness is possible for you. You don’t have to be exhausted, out of control, and undeserving.
It’s not just the wound itself that matters; it’s how you interpret it and how you come to think certain things about yourself, the world, and other people. If someone were abused or neglected as a child, they’d never be someone who wasn’t abused or neglected. If someone were a victim of a violent crime, they’d never be someone who wasn’t the victim of a violent crime. The good news is that even though the past cannot be changed, a qualified trauma therapist can help you heal the thoughts, beliefs, and feelings related to past experiences. Are you ready to feel empowered?
Working with a trauma and PTSD specialist like Keli Hemingway, LCSW-S will help you heal from past wounds and feel increased personal strength, a sense of inner calmness, a greater appreciation for life, more joy, and improved relationships.
People frequently begin counseling, wondering what to expect. They know they're tired of feeling like the past controls their life. They know they want to stop being ashamed of themselves and begin to feel proud of who they are. Maybe you don't think it's even worth discussing the actual trauma. You want to feel less anxious. Even a 10% reduction in self-hatred would make things easier. But you are skeptical that counseling is capable of helping you find happiness again.
If you're having a hard time thinking counseling will help, Keli will hold on to hope for you. Trauma therapy has been proven to be effective. Why? Because I've seen countless other folks start trauma treatment, unsure of how it would help, only to leave feeling better about themselves. It may not be simple, but you'll be surprised to discover it's much easier than dealing with intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, depression, or anxiety daily. Keli can help you work through the past, establish new coping methods, and go on with purpose.
On some level, most people who begin Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment feel lost in life, unsure of how to find their path. Maybe your days blur together, or you desire to escape your life. Perhaps you blame yourself for events in your past that were not your fault.
Stuck in a rut of fear, negativity, and a sense of being out of control? You may feel perpetually hypervigilant and "on edge." Keli Hemingway, LCSW-S is a trauma therapist who is ready to assist you in feeling calm, relaxed, and free from the past.
You deserve therapy that really works
Trauma is one of those areas where you should consult a therapist who has advanced training and specializes in trauma treatment. Trauma treatment involves more than just talking about how your week went. Trauma treatment may begin with relationship building and a few sessions of simply discussing what's currently bothering you and some coping methods, such as grounding or resourcing, to help you feel calmer and safer. Your trauma therapist, Keli Hemingway, LCSW-S, will next use one of the tried-and-true trauma and PTSD treatment modalities in which she has been thoroughly educated.
Why? Because she believes you deserve to be healed. Keli doesn't believe in just putting a bandage on your wounds because that doesn't work. She will assist you in achieving actual liberation from your past.
Do you identify with any of the following?
Have you experienced nightmares, flashbacks, or painful memories?
You're continuously on edge, wanting to crawl out of your own skin?
You don't understand why particular odors, sounds, or images elicit such strong, negative feelings?
Are you feeling detached from your body or like you're looking down at yourself?
Do you have strong feelings of dread and fear?
Do you have odd ideas and a racing heart?
Are you always on the lookout for potential threats?
Are you restless, as though you can't sit still?
You know that sadness isn't good for you, yet you can't pull yourself out of it alone.
Have you ever felt stuck, immobilized, or paralyzed by fear?
You have the impression that you are wandering through life as if something is missing or your balance is "off."*
Sometimes, you may lash out and, other times, withdraw or feel numb.
If any of this resonates with you, you may be ready to contact a trauma counselor, like Keli Hemingway, LCSW-S, in Austin, TX. Keli can assist you in regaining control of these thoughts, feelings, and ideas.
Trauma Therapy Allows You to Feel Like Your True Self Again
It is possible to feel better and have a sense of freedom. Consider a life whereby you could
Regain your sense of power and control.
Get rid of anxiety, hypervigilance, and flashbacks.
Improve your relationship with yourself and the people you choose to share yourself with.
Make your life more meaningful by focusing on who you are and what you want.
Instead of band-aid solutions, get to the root of the problem and solve it.
Have the romantic relationships you've always desired.
A trauma therapist like Keli will assist you in reducing your fear and regaining control. Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment will assist you in rising above your difficulties and beginning to move toward your ideal life with less confusion and more confidence.
You will be given a toolkit of practical techniques to help you deal with fear and feel more secure in your relationships. As a result, you will finally be able to overcome issues from your past. Additionally, if you are afraid of discussing your childhood trauma, remember that Keli has a great deal of experience working with survivors of child abuse. She will listen to you with a gentle and non-judgmental ear. Trauma Therapy can help. Your local Cedar Park, TX, counseling office can assist you in resolving childhood trauma so that you can begin living a fulfilled life.
Keli has assisted hundreds of folks drowning in guilt, judgment, dread, and helplessness. Her clients learn how to reclaim their power and restore control. Her clients rediscover their self-esteem and develop healthy, secure relationships.
Start Trauma & PTSD Treatment In Austin and Online Throughout Texas
Tired of nightmares and flashbacks? Tired of feeling fear and hypervigilant? Ready to address your trauma from childhood? Keli is a trauma therapist prepared to help you regain control from trauma and PTSD. At Keli Hemingway Counseling & Consulting, I know reaching out for help with your fears can be scary and hard. To get started, all it takes is to follow these three steps:
Start by scheduling a free consultation with Keli.
1
Begin Trauma Therapy with a committed trauma therapist.
2
Start to live free of fear and feel in control of your life.
3
Is What Happened To Me Even A Traumatic Event?
When someone starts therapy, this is a widespread question. It's easy to tell yourself, "It could have been worse." Regardless of what you've been through, you might think about everything you haven't been through and tell yourself that what you've been through isn't really traumatic. This couldn't be further from the truth.
People don’t fully understand trauma. Keli even has therapists as clients who don’t understand what trauma really is. There are two kinds of trauma. There are “BIG Ts.” These are traumatic events that people think about when they think of trauma, such as war, a murder, a sexual crime, a near-death experience, witnessing or experiencing violence, or an act of nature that destroys your home, such as a tornado. But also pervasive in our society is “SMALL Ts.” These include seemingly harmless experiences in our earlier years, such as childhood humiliations, bullying, shaming, disappointments, and living with a neglectful, overly critical, or angry parent. Although the “SMALL Ts” may seem small and harmless and don’t cause full-blown PTSD, they still have long-term effects that negatively impact the self and psyche (mind). SMALL Ts can cause emotions, beliefs, and physical sensations in the body and mind, coloring present perceptions in adults causing depression, chronic anxiety, and low self-esteem.
Trauma is any event that makes a person feel totally overwhelmed, powerless, insignificant, and helpless, and their usual way of dealing with the difficult event doesn't work.
Now, many different kinds of terrible things can happen. Maybe you went through a stressful event that only happened once but was very bad. Or, you may have had a lengthy background of complex trauma, like being abused repeatedly. Some traumas happen to many people simultaneously, like 9/11 or Covid-19 was super traumatic for many teens and adults. Vicarious trauma is when you are traumatized (overwhelmed beyond your regular ability to cope) by hearing about or working with people who have been through trauma. All of these are real traumatic experiences.
After a few weeks or months, you may be able to get over something stressful (like a traumatic event) all by yourself. On the other hand, you might feel stuck and like you’re spinning in circles because of PTSD symptoms like nightmares, anxiety, sadness, avoiding things, and fear. The good news is that counseling can help you find yourself.
Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Feeling jumpy, avoiding things that remind you of traumatic events in your past, difficulty sleeping/nightmares, having moments where it feels like you are reliving the trauma, difficulty concentrating, withdrawing from others, or feeling depressed are all signs that you may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). You do not have to live with these PTSD symptoms. Trauma treatment with Keli Hemingway, LCSW-S can aid in the recovery of PTSD symptoms.
PTSD symptoms are classified into four categories and may vary depending on your personality, support system, and traumatic experience. When you schedule an initial assessment with a trauma counselor like Keli, she will examine your symptoms to see if you qualify for a PTSD diagnosis. The four ways trauma can affect a person and cause PTSD are as follows:
Intrusive, Unwanted, Negative Thoughts
Intrusive thoughts can take several forms. PTSD patients frequently experience involuntary recollections, nightmares, and flashbacks. These disturbing thoughts and recollections of your trauma often resurface at inconvenient times. You want to continue your life, yet this terrible memory keeps you back.
Distorted Ideas & Negative Self Talk
Those with PTSD frequently have incorrect attitudes and beliefs about themselves or others, as well as continuous thoughts and feelings of dread, wrath, guilt, or humiliation. These ideas may take the form of "I am a bad person," "I can't trust anyone," or "I should have been the one who died, not him." As a result of these cognitive distortions, you may lose interest in previously enjoyed activities and begin to feel alienated or estranged from loved ones.
Avoiding Situations
It's natural for us to want to avoid things that make us uncomfortable. As a result, persons who have been through a particularly stressful event may find themselves avoiding anything that triggers that negative recollection. You may feel better at first if you block the recollections of the assault/rape/accident/fire/injury. For a short time, you may even feel normal. Avoidance, on the other hand, perpetuates PTSD. As time passes, you'll find yourself avoiding an increasing number of situations, people, things, and thoughts.
Risky or Out-of-Character Behavior
PTSD-related behavior can include having angry outbursts, becoming quickly agitated, acting recklessly or destructively, being easily frightened, or having difficulty concentrating or sleeping. Going on a drug or alcohol binge uncharacteristic of your typical behavior can also fall into this category.
In the days following a stressful occurrence, many people may have symptoms similar to these. However, people who have PTSD may have these symptoms for months or even years. It's also common for people who have PTSD to have what's known as co-occurring disorders. This means you use substances like alcohol or drugs to feel better or distract yourself from the pain. You could be depressed or nervous and use drugs or alcohol to calm those feelings.
