Trauma Counseling

A person’s mental, emotional, and even physical well-being can take a hit after experiencing trauma. Trauma, whether it is the result of a single traumatic experience or years of repeated exposure to stress, profoundly alters how people see and engage with the environment. The stigma and lack of knowledge around trauma can make many survivors feel alone and discourage them from seeking treatment. Here at Sonoran Counseling, we want to assist you in healing and reclaiming control of your life after a traumatic event.
Because we incorporate a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, the counseling services we provide to clients acknowledge traumatic experiences. These techniques equip the clients with the right tools they require to heal from the trauma in a therapeutic environment. Headaches as well as fatigue are some common somatic markers of the mental health disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression if trauma is not managed adequately. Nevertheless, it is totally doable to conquer trauma and strive for a better, more satisfying life if one takes the correct approach.

Understanding Trauma Counseling

Trauma can arise from various sources, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, natural disasters, accidents, or the sudden loss of a loved one. No matter where it comes from, trauma has a way of interfering with everyday life, relationships, and the workplace. The first and most important step in healing from trauma is to identify its symptoms and learn where it came from.

Common Symptoms of Trauma

While every trauma survivor is unique, there are commonalities in the symptoms that most people experience. When these signs are present, it is easier to know when to seek assistance from a trained expert.
Trauma survivors often experience vivid recollections of the traumatic event. Unpredictable and emotionally taxing, these intrusive recollections can wreak havoc on daily life.
Traumatized people may have trouble describing their emotions or friends. Social isolation and difficulty forming relationships can result from emotional numbness.
Traumatized people are hypervigilant in familiar settings. Humans’ ability and desire to avoid risk triggers hyperawareness.
Trauma victims may avoid places, people, and situations that remind them of their discomfort during treatment. Although limited, this avoidance may also limit a person’s daily activities.
Traumatic events can cause undiagnosed headaches, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and pain. Additional trauma-related mental distress often accompany these physical disorders.

Treatment Options at Sonoran Counseling

At Sonoran Counseling, we employ a variety of therapeutic approaches to address the multifaceted issue of trauma. Our therapists are well trained and mainly concentrate on this area of trauma therapy and utilize some of the best strategies that address the traumatized past. 
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Sonoran Counseling uses Emdr, a trauma treatment that involves clients following the therapist’s fingers. Our trained therapists can then engage the client in activities such as guided eye movements, which are a form of bilateral stimulation. It helps the brain to numb memory sensations and refile them. EMDR lets clients recount traumatic events without feeling incapacitated. It helps clients let go of these memories to relieve anxiety, depression, and PTSD. EMDR at Sonoran Counseling typically takes multiple sessions to help the person regain control of their emotions and recover without struggle.
Somatic Experiencing
Sonoran Counseling treats bodily trauma with Somatic Experiencing (SE). Traumatic experience usually causes headaches, muscle tension, and other pains. The staff can help clients understand their trauma-related physiological responses. A client learns to monitor physical sensations to determine how much traumatic memory is still stored in the nervous system, such as muscle tension, shaking, and warmth, during SE sessions. Since clients can process these sensations at their own pace with our guidance and support, energy can be released and the body restored. Why clients must be treated physically and emotionally to recover fully. Sonoran Counseling allows all clients to recover from trauma on their own time with a professional counselor.
Talk Therapy and Mindfulness
Talk therapy, as people often call it, is still one of the most effective methods of dealing with trauma. Clients share their trauma stories in a nurturing environment that also helps them consider patterns they need to change. We use mindfulness alongside talk therapy to ensure the client remains present, as memories of a traumatic event can easily overwhelm them. This approach optimizes emotional self-regulation and minimizes the effectiveness of negative self-terms. alk therapy and mindfulness are powerful tools for mental well-being. Talk therapy helps individuals process emotions and challenges through conversation with a therapist. Mindfulness, on the other hand, encourages present-moment awareness and acceptance, reducing stress and promoting emotional regulation. Together, they foster self-awareness and emotional healing

Your Comprehensive Care Plan

Along with these treatment methods, as part of our all-encompassing, holistic approach to patient care, we coordinate with other medical experts as needed. Our licensed counselors at Sonoran Counseling collaborate with doctors and insurance companies to ensure they deliver services that meet every client’s unique requirement. Sonoran Counseling takes great pride in being a provider that is in-network with many major health insurance companies, such as:
It allows us to develop inexpensive and easily accessible treatment interventions for those who may need trauma counseling services. Engaging insurers also expands our ability to help as many people as possible by providing mental health services without out-of-pocket health expenses.
  • Aetna
  • United Healthcare
Support Beyond Therapy
Trauma healing extends beyond the confines of the clinician’s office. We realize that people do not recover in sessions alone, and that support is required in all spheres of life. This is why we recommend that our clients go to a support group and engage in other self-help activities as they recover.
Support Groups
Being a member of a support group enables the trauma survivors to share and talk with people who have similar ordeals. In turn, these groups supply a sense of belonging and affirmation because participants tell each other their stories. The social narrative of others can also be an encouragement and give ideas on how best to chart the journey towards recovery with fewer feelings of being alone.
Support Beyond Therapy
In addition to group therapy, traumatized individuals can benefit greatly from some self-assistance strategies. Writing in a journal or expressing positive thoughts are additional methods for managing thoughts and emotions effectively. Relying on one’s experience can be therapeutic, while daily affirmations help to develop a positive outlook on life and create a proper level of self-esteem. 

Conclusion: A Journey Toward Recovery

Trauma really can change a person’s life, but with the right help, it also can change for the better. At Sonoran Counseling, we believe that you and your loved one should not face the journey to recovery alone. We have empathetic therapists and unique client-centered treatment programs for those in any stage of recovery. If it is recent trauma that is causing the disturbance, or if it is from the past that is affecting your life now, Sonoran Counseling is willing and able to assist with beginning the process of healing.