Have You Experienced Trauma?
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Are you struggling with disturbing memories, nightmares and flashbacks?
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Do you feel ashamed of what happened and wonder if you are to blame?
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Do you fear being alone but also find it difficult to trust others?
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Have you been struggling with depression, anxiety and/or panic attacks?
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Do you feel angry, irritable and unable to control outbursts?
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Are you suddenly overwhelmed by memories or sensations related to something you thought was long over?
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Are you unsure if what happened was traumatic, but know that you are finding it difficult to cope?
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Do you wish you could heal from the past and move forward in your life?
Sherry is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional who understands how trauma can impact your life. If you have gone through an unwanted, painful experience, you may be finding it difficult to feel safe and stable. It may seem as though you are stuck reliving the traumatic event over and over again, especially when you are faced with a sight, sound, smell, or other sensation that brings you back to the terror you felt. Perhaps you feel exhausted by the need to stay hypervigilant, but you can’t stop fearing that you’ll be hurt again. It may be that you’ve experienced a loss, bullying, or something else that’s made you doubt your worth or purpose, but you feel ashamed and question if it was really “that bad.” Whether the experience happened recently or long ago, you may worry that you have no control over your life or your future.
Trauma Takes Many Forms
Although the pain of trauma can be overwhelming and isolating, you are not alone or weak for what you are going through. Many people experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives, sometimes
without realizing it until years or even decades later. It’s possible to forget or bury a traumatic experience until
something else—such as a period of high stress, conflict in a relationship or even a particular smell associated
with what happened—triggers all those feelings of fear and pain.
Trauma can result from any life-threatening or deeply distressing event, such as a car accident, assault, invasive surgery, natural disaster or death of a loved one or pet. Sometimes, people experience ongoing abuse, neglect or exposure to violence. And, it’s important to note that “smaller” or more common situations, including bullying, the loss of a job, conflict in your social group or the end of a relationship, and can also profoundly impact your wellbeing.
