Post-Traumatic Growth

I am a trauma-informed counselor.  I am even prepared to help those from a dissociative state.  If you say, “I don’t remember my childhood,” that is okay.  If you are in a pattern of ignoring, denying, minimizing, and numbing –I understand.  If you find yourself in repetition compulsion, where life and relationships feel like a bad Groundhog Day, I am familiar with these symptoms, and I know how to expertly and compassionately treat this state of mind/living.

Traumas can be incredibly unique per person.  ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) often play a role in whether you can cope successfully today.  The attachment styles formed during childhood play a key role in explaining why someone may experience difficulties as an adult.   I use trauma-informed psychology and counseling to help you hurdle through what used to be treated with white-knuckling and medications.  You do not have to suffer like that.  We can build a stronger foundation, reprocess your experiences, and stabilize your nervous system.

There are other types of traumas, too!  As a first responder psychological support therapist, I have treated thousands of first responders.  This means that I provide trauma-informed counseling for gruesome car accidents, gnarly suicides, heinous murders, being shot at, burned, or injured traumatically.  I have a lot of experience treating pediatric deaths, homes burning down, line of duty deaths, and all the other human ickies you can imagine or have experienced.  I am also familiar with how trauma can sort of rot a human from the inside-out.  I know how it affects your relationships, creates bad habits or addictions, destabilizes one’s life, and how it feels like you’re the only one.

Post-traumatic growth refers to the positive psychological and physiological changes that can occur as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances or traumatic events. Instead of simply recovering, individuals may develop a greater appreciation for life, improved relationships, increased personal strength, and a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. This growth is not about ignoring or tolerating the pain or trauma, but about finding ways to transform adversity into opportunities for renewal.

Trauma-informed counseling plays a pivotal role in facilitating post-traumatic growth by providing a safe, supportive environment where individuals can process their experiences without judgment. I use specialized techniques to help clients desensitize and reframe their trauma, stabilize their nervous systems, and build healthier coping skills. We can address the underlying effects of trauma, too—such as attachment issues, repetition compulsion, or dissociation—trauma-informed therapy empowers individuals to move beyond survival and begin thriving, ultimately fostering lasting growth and healing.

In my style of counseling, my strength is seeing patterns quickly, naming truth clearly, and helping people recalibrate their decisions and lives.  I sometimes take notes you can take a picture of to help keep you mindful and focused throughout the week, or between sessions.  We will identify all the parts of your personality and understand their function and what they need to heal so that you can feel better.  This is a more transformative and deeper, clinically sound therapy in my opinion.  It’s not for everyone, and I can explain why per case.  I offer a free initial phone consultation to see if we are a good match.  Having said that, all therapy is done at your pace, at the intensity level you can manage.

Sarah’s Counseling Style has been described as:

• Direct and gritty
• Granular and BIG picture
• Down-to-earth
• Difficult and fun
• Hopeful and progressive
• Real

I love what I do, and I hope it shows.  At the core of my approach is internal family systems, adaptive information processing, trauma-informed techniques (EMDR), and existentialism/Buddhist psychology.