Strong Roots Therapy
Living through a traumatic event or ongoing situation can shatter your sense of safety – in yourself, in others, and in the world around you.
With the right support, you can learn to trust again and find the strength to move forward.
The effects of trauma can stem from a variety of experiences. They can include one-time events, a specific time in your past, or an ongoing, unresolved situation. When your brain’s ability to cope and keep you safe is overwhelmed, conditions such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) can develop, leaving you feeling scared, anxious, or detached from people and the world around you.
PTSD or C-PTSD can develop when someone has experienced particularly distressing or prolonged trauma, such as abuse, an accident, or prolonged bullying. How each person responds to trauma is deeply personal, with symptoms manifesting at different times and in different ways.
PTSD is usually caused by a single event trauma including: life-threatening scenarios, significant injury, sexual assault, combat, natural disasters, and other stressful events.
C-PTSD is usually caused by repeated exposure to traumatic events or interpersonal trauma, such as childhood abuse, neglect, domestic violence, repetitive trauma in adulthood, or long-term bullying. It frequently involves several traumatic incidents over time.
Fear of reliving the past can cause you to go out of your way to avoid certain places, people, or situations because they remind you of a traumatic event, and being there makes you anxious or panicky. In therapy, we help you identify and manage triggers so that you can regain a sense of safety.
A fight-or-flight response is a very real physical response to physiological triggers. When you feel constantly on edge, jumpy, or easily startled – to keep you safe from potential danger – your body stays ready to produce adrenaline at a moment’s notice. This can leave you feeling anxious, withdrawn, or even numb.
Flashbacks (visual, somatic, or emotional), nightmares, or intrusive thoughts that make you feel like you are reliving the traumatic event can lead to a state of perpetual exhaustion, anxiety, or depression. In therapy, we will help you develop effective coping strategies to manage and reduce their impact on your well-being.
Dissociation is a feeling of detachment from reality or a sense of being disconnected from your own body, in which you may feel as if you’re observing your thoughts, feelings, and actions from a distance. It goes hand-in-hand with isolation, which is a coping strategy that develops as a way to protect secrets, thoughts, and emotions.
PTSD often leads to feelings of guilt and shame, even when survivors logically know they are not to blame for the traumatic event. For you, this may stem from survivor’s guilt, self-blame, and shame about your reactions. In therapy, we can help you re-frame how you view the situation and develop a sense of self-compassion.
There is hope for healing.
We believe that strong, healthy boundaries are the key to building the life you want.
The experiences you had as a child can quietly shape your life as an adult, often without realizing the beliefs that were formed as a result.
At Strong Roots Therapy, we prioritize inner-child work to gently guide you back to those formative moments, helping you understand their impact on the beliefs, patterns, and behaviors you’re experiencing today. We help you nurture a kinder, more gentle voice toward yourself – to develop the strong roots you need to grow into the best version of yourself.
Growing up as part of the Asian-American community, we understand the effect that family and social expectations can have on shaping you as a person. Our professional experience gives us the insight to guide and support you through your own journey as we work to de-stigmatize mental health in our community.
There is a real, authentic ‘you’ – we help you rediscover that person and guide you to living on your terms.
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We take the time to understand the challenges you’re facing, your history, and your lived experiences.
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We create a plan that works for you, using approaches such as EMDR or CBT to help you build actionable steps you can implement right away as well as a long-term plan for healing.
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We assess your progress and make changes as needed, allowing space for you to heal and create lasting change.
“Trauma comes back as a response, not a memory.”
– BESSEL VAN DER KOLK
If your experience was a singular event, like an accident, natural disaster, or witnessing a trauma, you may have PTSD. If you have experienced prolonged trauma, such as abuse, abandonment, or violence, you may be suffering from C-PTSD. During your first few sessions, we will take the time to understand your symptoms and determine if a diagnosis can be made.
Yes, there’s hope. Healing might take a while, and there may be ups and downs, but it’s possible to feel better and regain a sense of control over your life. In therapy, we will equip you with skills and strategies that you can use to provide long-term relief.
That will vary based on your experiences and personal circumstances. Often, people experience a sense of relief within a few sessions as they feel comfortable, safe, and supported for the first time in a long time. Over the next weeks or months, we will work with you step-by-step to help you continue to see improvements.
At our clinic we do not prescribe medication, but if it becomes clear that medication would support your journey to healing, we can refer you to a trusted physician for further treatment.
PTSD can have a significant negative impact on your relationships as your general trust in humanity has been damaged. However, for someone with a strong support system, a trusting, vulnerable relationship can be pivotal in your healing.
When it comes to healing from PTSD and C-PTSD, your results will be very personal to you and your experiences. Your commitment and consistency with treatment will help you feel relief sooner. As you feel better, you may experience the following positive results:
Reclaim the joy in every moment!
If you are a new client looking to work with us, start by scheduling a free consultation. We will answer your questions and see if we are a good fit for each other. You can book a free consultation directly online using the button below, by calling us, or by submitting a message via the contact form.
We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message. Our team will be in touch within 24 to 48 business hours.
