Trauma and PTSD therapists in Atoka, Tennessee TN

Kids are resilient, but… They often need help processing and coping with the experiences they’ve had or changes they may be going through. Whatever the experience – parental divorce, the death of a loved one, or even abuse or neglect – children often don’t have the tools to cope and move forward (at least not in a healthy way). Maybe they didn’t seem bothered by these things at the time, but now (perhaps even months or years later), their behaviors suggest that something is wrong. During a life-changing experience, kids go into “survival mode.” And that can look different based on the child. During or immediately after a stressful event, a child’s brain may activate specific areas of the brain and de-activate others as a natural response to help them survive. Some children may have increased awareness and adrenaline, often becoming jumpy or easily startled. Others may struggle with the area of the brain that helps them regulate their emotions, causing them to have mood swings, emotional outbursts, or tearfulness. Many children begin to withdraw and isolate themselves. Children who are struggling to process or cope with trauma experience problems sleeping, such as nightmares and trouble falling or staying asleep. They experience intense feelings of anxiety that cause them to be on “overdrive” and always alert to potential danger. They struggle to process and communicate their feelings appropriately, resulting in meltdowns, tantrums, or isolating themselves. They are easily distracted and find their mind wanders, causing them to “space out” during tasks or conversations. They don’t know how to trust you (or anyone) because of what they experienced. A special therapy has been proven to help. Whether your child is experiencing a life-changing event right now… or it’s something they’ve experienced in the past, I’m here to help. Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a proven treatment to help children and teens who have experienced a scary or stressful event in life. This therapy will identify how trauma has affected your child and will help your child process stressful memories and develop ways to cope with thoughts and feelings related to the event in a safe environment. Children who have experienced trauma are frequently still “haunted” by lingering trauma reminders (or trauma triggers)… A fight at school could bring back crippling memories of a fight they witnessed in the past. Grandparent’s Day activities at their daycare may cause them to experience those same intense feelings they had when they first lost their grandparent. Seeing a distant parent after a divorce could cause them to isolate and withdraw as they wanted to when they saw parents fighting before the split. Together, your child and I will identify and confront the trauma triggers that are still impacting your child. Your child will process the experience in a safe environment and develop skills to cope with the emotions associated with the event. Relaxation skills such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, and meditation will be taught and practiced with your child in sessions (and in language they understand). These will become your child’s defense against their big and scary thoughts and feelings as they continue to move through treatment. They’ll learn ways to manage their emotions and combat panic and anxiety related to the experience and how to identify their feelings. Your child will create a “feelings-scale” and begin practicing ways to calm themselves down (or bring themselves “back down the scale”) when their feelings become too much. They’ll begin communicating their feelings to you in healthy ways. They’ll learn why their former (and sometimes aggressive) ways of communication are unhealthy and often result in consequences, and they’ll replace those old ways with new skills such as using “I-feel statements.” As your child develops these skills, they will prepare to process the traumatic event head-on by completing a trauma narrative with my support. Through the trauma-narrative process, your child will confront memories of the situation and address unhelpful thoughts and core beliefs they have as a result of the event. They may think the divorce was their fault. Or that they are a “bad kid” due to abuse they experienced. We will work together to process these unhelpful thoughts and core beliefs and change them to positive, true, and helpful thoughts. The trauma-narrative process is completely tailored to each child. Your child may choose to draw, paint, or use art to express their narrative. They may choose to write and sing a song describing their experience, or they may simply choose to write their story in narrative form. Your child is free to choose the best way that works for them. After this process, your child will have the opportunity to “destroy” or keep the narrative to signify their incredible and brave progress in moving forward. Throughout treatment, we will also work together to plan for any additional needs for your child outside of therapy (ex. behavior planning, safety planning, school safety planning, or supervision planning). Don’t let an event change the rest of your child’s life. I am here to provide help within a judgement-free, therapeutic environment. Are you ready to help your child change their patterns of behavior, emotional distress, and negative thoughts resulting from the binding impacts of a traumatic event? If so, give me a call today!  

A trauma-informed approach underlies all of my work as a therapist. I know that many clients come to therapy not specifically because of trauma, but because they feel lonely or inadequate, they are depressed or anxious, or just cannot seem to have the intimacy they crave. Sometimes acknowledging trauma comes later in the therapy work and that is okay. Just know that I trust that you will talk about it when you are ready. I would like to join you in acknowledging how the past has affected your present and in charting a course to healing that works for you. You may wish to talk about particular pains from the past and you may wish to focus on the future. We will work together to find the balance that is right for you, so that you can live the life that you really want to live.  

Many women carry trauma that deeply impacts their lives in ways that are both visible and hidden. Whether from experiences in childhood, challenging relationships, or societal pressures, this trauma can become ingrained, affecting self-esteem, emotional responses, and even physical health. Trauma may manifest as anxiety, difficulty trusting others, heightened emotional reactivity, or a chronic sense of unease. These symptoms can persist long after the initial event, creating patterns that shape daily experiences, interactions, and even how one sees themselves and their potential. Narcissistic abuse, in particular, is a form of trauma that can be insidiously damaging. When subjected to a narcissist’s manipulation, gaslighting, and control, victims often experience a gradual erosion of self-worth, leading to feelings of confusion, self-doubt, and even PTSD. Narcissistic abuse can distort perceptions, making victims question their reality and feel trapped in a cycle of emotional harm. The repetitive, controlling behaviors often associated with narcissistic partners, like deflecting blame and devaluing the victim’s emotions, lead to an overwhelming emotional toll that may look like traditional PTSD symptoms, such as hypervigilance, flashbacks, and a pervasive sense of shame or guilt. In therapy, we’ll work together to address and unravel these traumas with compassion and understanding. My approach helps you identify and release the weight of these past experiences, rebuild a sense of self, and regain a sense of safety and trust. Recovery from trauma is a journey, but by untangling these experiences and their effects on you, it’s possible to rediscover resilience, strengthen personal boundaries, and regain control over your life. Whether it's reclaiming your voice after narcissistic abuse or understanding how past experiences shape your present, I’m here to support you through this journey.  

Trauma is a specialty for me. I have done hours of training on Trauma and PTSD. I use EMDR to work with trauma but along with EMDR a client must look at their patterns of thought, feeling and especially behavior. All of these work together. Once a trauma is processed, the patterns that go with the trauma must also change and grow.  

Healing from trauma and PTSD is a journey that requires a compassionate and evidence-based approach. My specialty lies in utilizing behavioral and cognitive-behavioral (CBT) therapies, including Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy, to help you process and overcome traumatic experiences. These therapies focus on confronting and reprocessing traumatic memories in a safe and supportive environment, reducing the power they hold over your daily life. By addressing both the emotional and cognitive aspects of trauma, we aim to alleviate symptoms, foster resilience, and empower you to reclaim a sense of safety and control.