trauma therapist boulder

PTSD & Trauma Therapist Boulder, CO

Takeaway: Trauma can change us on a deep, fundamental level. This makes it easy to get stuck, unsure of how to move forward and build a life you love. However, it is possible. With authentic connection and evidence-based practice, our trauma therapists in Boulder, CO, can help you recover from your past wounds. Get started today.  

Are you considering trauma therapy, PTSD therapy, or therapy for relational trauma?

Trauma can impact a person in many ways. It can create relationship issues, nervous system dysregulation, low self esteem, insecure attachment, self doubt, mood swings, painful memories from traumatic events, and more. We know that the healing process can feel long and painful. We are grateful to have helped so many clients find healing, overcome anxiety, find relief from depression, and live more meaningful lives.

We believe that even though our bodies and minds are inherently healthy, sometimes we feel stuck in past trauma. When we unburden our nervous systems while being lovingly witnessed by a compassionate trauma therapist, we can experience the 'unsticking' of past trauma.

If you are searching for a trauma therapist in Boulder, CO, Lunasa Counseling & Wellness can offer you a supportive environment of therapists who are experts in treating trauma.

You might be wondering, what therapy is best for trauma? Is trauma therapy worth it? How long should I go to therapy for PTSD? This article will answer these questions and more. Advocating for your trauma healing can feel lonely and confusing. We want to help you find some answers.

Does this sound like you?

Have you tried traditional talk therapy but still grapple with unresolved trauma in your nervous system every day? Does this cause physical discomforts, overwhelming emotions, depression, or anxiety?

Maybe you feel separated from your body and you struggle to answer the question 'How are you feeling?' As a result, do you sometimes feel numb?

Can you go from feeling great to feeling overwhelmed in a short amount of time? Do you feel frustrated that little stresses in your day can sometimes throw you off for hours?

Trauma affects your intimate relationships. You crave closeness with others but feel disconnected, unable to trust, and terrified of vulnerability and intimacy. Does this sound like you?

Trauma can make it difficult to trust people, which makes it harder to maintain fulfilling relationships. This might be despite a deep desire to feel connected to others. Some people experience depression and anxiety and struggle to hold down a job or take care of themselves. Others might feel as though they are just going through the motions, that their life looks great on paper but they don't feel truly happy. Some people notice they don't feel much of anything, while others live in a constant state of anger, frustration, or worry. For others, trauma manifests as eating disorders, addiction, panic attacks, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or physical pain.

Understanding trauma

Everyone is familiar with the word 'trauma', but what exactly is it?

There are two different types of trauma. Often, what first comes to mind when we think of trauma is what's known as Big T Trauma, also called single event trauma. They are typically a single traumatic event. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is more commonly associated with Big T Trauma. Examples of Big T Trauma are a serious car accident, physical abuse, war, natural disasters, sexual abuse, the death of a parent, violent crimes, or school shootings.

The other type of trauma is called Little T Trauma, also called complex trauma, relational trauma, or developmental trauma. This type of trauma is an accumulation of stresses, often in childhood, but not always. Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is more commonly associated with Little T Trauma. Examples of Little T Trauma are being bullied, childhood neglect or abuse, being rejected by a friend group, being in a toxic romantic relationship, domestic violence, experiencing microaggressions in a marginalized identity, or not having your childhood needs met in a developmentally appropriate way by caregivers.

According to leading trauma expert, Dr. Gabor Maté, in his book The Myth of Normal, 'Trauma is not what happened to you, but what happened inside you'. In other words, trauma is an inner injury that gets lodged in the nervous system, mind, and body due to the difficult event(s) we have experienced. It has a lasting impact long after the traumatic experience(s) end(s).

It is very common for people to be so used to living with the lasting impact of trauma, that they are not aware that they are experiencing trauma. They might think 'Something is wrong, but what?'

What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event (Big T Trauma) or cumulative traumatic events (Little T Trauma) develops PTSD or CPTSD respectively. Again, 'trauma is not what happens to you, it is what happens inside you' (Gabor Maté).

Whether or not you have developed PTSD or CPTSD, if you have experienced trauma you deserve therapy that helps you to heal your trauma and live with purpose and ease.

PTSD symptoms include (taken from the International Classification of Disease):

Re-experiencing

Do you have nightmares about the event, flashbacks about the event, or have powerful images come into your mind from the event which makes it feel as though it is happening in the here and now?

Avoidance

Do you avoid internal reminders of the event, like thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations? Do you avoid external reminders of the event, like people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations?

Sense of Threat

Are you often super alert, watchful, or on guard? Do you feel jumpy or easily startled?

CPTSD symptoms include (taken from the International Classification of Disease):

All PTSD Symptoms

To meet the official criteria for CPTSD (International Classification of Disease), you must first meet the criteria for PTSD laid out above.

Affect Dysregulation

Do you feel numb or emotionally shut down? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by anger, sadness, irritability, anxiety, or irritability? Do you feel like you don't have control over your emotions in these situations? When you experience a mood shift, is it sometimes difficult to come back to 'normal' afterward?

Negative Self-concept

Do you feel like a failure? Do you sometimes believe you are broken, wrong, or bad? Do you have feelings of guilt or shame? Do you feel worthless?

Disturbances in relationships

Do you have difficulty trusting others? Do you feel distant or cut off from people? Do you find it hard to stay emotionally close to people?

If you don't meet the criteria for PTSD or CPTSD but feel as though you have some lingering trauma in your system, trauma therapy is for you too.

Our approach to trauma therapy, Boulder, CO

trauma therapy boulder

Every therapist has a different approach. At Lunasa Counseling & Wellness (Boulder, CO) we specialize in bringing genuine human connection to the healing process. We show up as real, authentic, compassionate humans. We truly care about you. We want to see you, hear you, and understand you.

Most importantly, our therapists understand that trauma gets stored in the body. Without gently inviting the body into the healing process, the positive impact of trauma counseling often doesn't stick. Talk therapy is an important element in treating trauma, but it is most effective when used alongside somatic interventions.

Our therapists are informed by neurobiology, attachment theory, Health At Every Size, and the mind-body connection. We use a wide variety of modalities, including:

  • Mindfulness-Based

    Mindfulness can help you to stay with difficult experiences and emotions, slowing down to observe them, tend to them, and learn from them, rather than getting caught up in them or using old habits to avoid them. Our therapists practice mindfulness in everyday life and bring this experience into sessions. Some of our therapists are informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), evidence-based therapies which are based on mindfulness.

  • Self-Compassion Training

    Shame is a commonly experienced manifestation of trauma. It is often hidden so deeply that we don't even know it's there. That's because it is often too painful to touch. Informed by Mindful Self-Compassion, our therapists can help you learn the tools and practices for gently healing shame.

  • Somatic-Based Interventions

    Trauma gets stored in the body and mind, lodged in the nervous system which is intimately connected to the brain. For this reason, talk therapy doesn't tend to have lasting effects when used alone. Our therapists are informed by Polyvagal Theory and are self-educated in other somatic modalities which advise their approaches. We believe that bringing the body into therapy increases the mind-body connection and allows for deeper, longer-lasting healing.

  • Internal Family Systems

    IFS is a non-pathologizing, evidence-based approach to healing trauma. It welcomes all parts of us, even the parts we don't like, guiding us to a more loving relationship with ourselves. It integrates this healing within the mind, body, and spirit. Our therapists can help you to go deeper inside your own experience using this powerful model.

  • Substance Abuse Treatment

    Trauma is often an underlying cause of misusing substances. Our therapists are experienced in taking a harm-reduction approach to substances while also incorporating trauma treatment.

ptsd counseling boulder

Who our trauma therapy services are for

We serve people from all backgrounds at our practice. It is important to use that all identities feel welcome by us. Here are some of the folks we treat:

  • Adults (25-65):

    It can feel like there is a lot of pressure to succeed in life. Working towards what you want out of life, on top of everyday stresses, can feel like an uphill battle at times. Lingering trauma can add extra layers of challenge to living a fulfilling life.

  • Young adults (18-25):

    Being a young adult is a time of great transition. Many life changes are happening all at once. For some, this can also be a time that mental illness or the impact of childhood trauma can show itself for the first time.

  • Seniors (65+):

    Folks in this age group might struggle with retirement, grief and loss, loneliness, and adapting to changing needs. Residual or new trauma can affect how a person copes with these issues.

  • Couples:

    Trauma, past baggage, life stresses, different comfort levels with emotions, and mental illness can all impact how we interact with our partners. Communication, intimacy, and relational patterns are often so inherent that we can't identify them.

  • Non-monogamous:

    Practicing ethical non-monogamy can be tricky. When trauma is involved, it can make it trickier. Whether you are navigating this path for the first time, or have years of experience, whether you are sharing this road with a partner, or several partners, or you are working on yourself, we can help support you.

  • LGBTQIA+:

    There are many representations of sexuality and gender identity. Each person experiences their own unique joys and struggles. Queer folks continue to face discrimination from family, friends, colleagues, employers, and healthcare providers. This discrimination becomes more pronounced for transgender people, BIPOC, and people with disabilities. The cumulative effect of discrimination can cause trauma in some people.

  • Fat-identified:

    Many fat people feel content and love towards their bodies. Many fat people experience body dysmorphia, eating disorders, or body image issues as a result of anti-fat bias. The societal expectation to feel shame towards your fat body is reinforced by discrimination from friends, family, colleagues, employers, and health care providers, and becomes more pronounced at the intersection of identities. The cumulative effect of discrimination can cause trauma in some people.

  • Grief:

    Grief can manifest due to the death of a loved one, divorce, miscarriage, job loss, ending a friendship, injury, illness, or acknowledgment that life hasn't gone the way you wish it had, among others. Existing trauma can make it difficult to cope with grief. Being with grief is also an important part of healing from trauma.

  • Substance abuse:

    Using substances like drugs or alcohol to cope with trauma or big emotions might feel like your only option.

  • Trauma survivors:

    Trauma can impact your relationship with your body, mind, loved ones, and yourself. Adverse childhood experiences increase the risk of experiencing another traumatic event in the future, so it is important to seek out the help you need.

  • Parents:

    Becoming a parent changes your whole life. As a parent, you often have to push yourself to your natural limits. A history of trauma can mean a reduced ability to regulate emotions. On top of less sleep and more stress, it can feel impossible to be the parent you want to be.

FAQs about PTSD counseling in Boulder, CO

You might still have questions. We will try to answer the most frequently asked questions about trauma therapy below, but if you still have questions please reach out. Our therapists are compassionate, understanding, and patient. We are happy to answer anything you might think of.

  • Our therapists use many of the most effective modalities for trauma. As outlined above, these include Mindfulness, Self-Compassion Training, Somatic-Based Interventions, Internal Family Systems, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

    Here are more modalities which are helpful in addressing trauma:

    Somatic Therapy

    Somatic Therapy helps us to build relationships between our physical body, thoughts, and emotions to promote a sense of integration, healing, and change.

    NeuroAffective Relational Model

    NARM is a modality that was created for healing Complex Trauma. It incorporates aspects of Somatic Experiencing with traditional talk therapies and emphasizes the relationship between therapist and client.

    Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

    PAP combines the use of entheogenic medicines with psychotherapy. This combination often allows the client to connect to a deeper sense of healing. Research has shown efficacy in the use of PAP for treating depression, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and reducing distress in end of life or palliative care. KKetamine-assisted therapy is already legal in Colorado, and in 2024 we hope to have legal access to an expanded range of PAP

    Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

    EMDR therapy can be used as a PTSD treatment in which the traumatic memory or memories are reprocessed using bilateral stimulation and eye movements to reduce the trauma symptoms associated with the traumatic experience.

  • Choosing to start trauma counseling is a personal decision with no guaranteed outcomes. However, most people notice a significant improvement from trauma therapy sessions. Some of the outcomes might include:

    • Using coping skills when feeling overwhelmed

    • More connection between you and your body

    • An increased sense of peace

    • Closer relationships with your loved ones

    • Less anger, frustration, and irritability

    • Less worry, rumination, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and fear

    • An increase in self esteem and self worth

    • Less dissociation, more living in the present

    • Learning to self-soothe and regulate your emotions instead of numbing with alcohol, food, T.V., phone

    • Increased capacity for problem-solving.

  • Everyone is different, so it is hard to define how long any individual might need to receive treatment for PTSD. To heal deeply, from the inside out, therapy is often a slow and steady process. That's not to say you won't experience relief from symptoms or an improvement in your mental health after a few sessions, but in our experience, the longest-lasting benefits come from a slow burn.

    That said, we ask our clients to consider sticking with the therapeutic process for at least 3 months to give it a proper chance to develop. Most of our clients tend to do trauma counseling with us for 6-18 months and report leading happier and healthier lives. Ultimately, you will collaborate with your therapist to decide what is the appropriate length of treatment for you.

therapy for trauma boulder

Trauma therapy in Boulder can help you heal

As you can see, trauma is a complex experience with far-reaching impacts. It takes a tender, skilled, embodied approach to treat it.

At Lunasa Counseling & Wellness we combine clinical expertise with heartfelt human connection to offer effective trauma treatment. We understand that bringing the body into the healing experience is necessary.

If you are looking for therapy for trauma in Boulder, CO reach out to us for a free consultation to start your healing journey.