Trauma isn't defined by what happened. It's defined by what it did to you. Two people can go through similar experiences and come out carrying very different things. If something changed how you feel safe, how you relate to other people, or how you see yourself, that matters, regardless of whether it fits anyone else's definition of traumatic.

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop after a single event or after prolonged exposure to threatening or overwhelming circumstances. It shows up differently in different people. Flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, avoidance, and feeling disconnected from yourself or your life are all common. PTSD is treatable, and you don't have to keep reliving it.

Complex Trauma

Complex trauma develops from repeated or prolonged experiences, often starting in childhood. Neglect, abuse, instability, or growing up in an environment where you couldn't feel safe or secure. The effects go deep and can shape how you regulate emotions, how you see yourself, and how you show up in relationships. Complex trauma takes longer to work through, and it deserves a clinician who understands that.

Relational Trauma

Relational trauma comes from painful experiences within close relationships. This includes emotional or physical abuse, betrayal, abandonment, or chronic patterns in family or romantic relationships that left lasting marks. It often affects how you trust, how you attach to others, and what you expect from relationships. It's some of the most quietly damaging trauma there is, and it's also some of the most workable.

We use evidence-based approaches including EMDR to work with trauma at Lotus Flower Counseling. We move at your pace, and we understand that healing isn't linear.