Many people who seek therapy have experienced trauma in the past or present. Trauma occurs when an experience overwhelms a person’s ability to cope or process the emotions associated with it. While most people encounter difficult experiences in life, individuals differ in their resilience, coping skills, and access to supportive resources.

When trauma remains unresolved, it can lead to emotional and physical difficulties such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, negative beliefs about oneself, relationship challenges, and stress-related health symptoms. Fortunately, trauma can be effectively treated using specialized, brain-based therapeutic approaches.

Signs Trauma May Be Affecting You

Trauma can affect people in many different ways. Sometimes the connection between past experiences and present symptoms is not immediately obvious. If you recognize yourself in some of the patterns below, unresolved trauma may be playing a role.

You may notice:

• Persistent anxiety, stress, or a sense of being constantly on edge
• Feeling emotionally overwhelmed or easily triggered
• Difficulty relaxing or feeling safe
• Recurring memories, dreams, or intrusive thoughts related to past experiences
• Strong emotional reactions that seem disproportionate to current situations
• Negative beliefs about yourself such as “I’m not good enough,” “I’m not safe,” or “Something is wrong with me”
• Difficulty trusting others or maintaining close relationships
• Feelings of numbness, disconnection, or emotional shutdown
• Chronic stress-related physical symptoms or unexplained health concerns
• Patterns of avoidance, self-criticism, or self-sabotage

These reactions are not signs of weakness. They are often the nervous system’s natural attempts to adapt and protect you after overwhelming experiences.

With the right support, the brain and body have a remarkable capacity to heal. Trauma-informed therapies such as EMDR, Gestalt, Brainspotting, IFS can help process unresolved experiences and restore a greater sense of balance, safety, and resilience.

What Healing From Trauma Can Look Like

Healing from trauma does not mean forgetting what happened or pretending the past did not affect you. Instead, healing involves helping the brain and nervous system process unresolved experiences so they no longer dominate your present life.

As trauma begins to heal, many people notice meaningful changes such as:

• Feeling calmer and more emotionally balanced
• Greater ability to regulate stress and anxiety
• Reduced emotional reactivity to past triggers Improved self-confidence and self-compassion
• A stronger sense of safety in the body
• Healthier boundaries and relationships Increased clarity, resilience, and emotional stability
• A deeper connection with one’s authentic self

Trauma-focused therapies such as EMDR and Brainspotting help the brain process experiences that may have remained “stuck” in the nervous system. As these memories become integrated, the intensity of emotional and physical responses often decreases, allowing new perspectives and healthier patterns to emerge.

Healing is a gradual process, but with the right support, many people discover a renewed sense of strength, freedom, and possibility in their lives.

If you recognize yourself in some of these experiences, therapy may help you better understand the underlying patterns and begin the process of healing.

Maryana Harrelson, LPC
Gestalt • EMDR • Brainspotting • IFS • Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy