Counseling for Trauma
Helping women make sense of the things they can't forget.
You’ve been through some shit in your life. Whether it was during your childhood or more recently, you can’t seem to put it out of your mind. You try to avoid thinking about it, but the reminders seem to come out of nowhere. And when they do, it’s hard to get back on track.
Work has always been somewhat of an outlet for you. You love to help people. But lately, you’re jumpy and irritable. It seems like you’re barely holding your life together. How can you help anyone when you can barely help yourself?
Life at home isn’t much better. Sleep seems impossible. You drown yourself in wine, Netflix, or video games just to shut your brain off. But that doesn’t help you connect with the people you love. And those people are worried about you. The more they worry, it seems, the more fights you have.
“What is wrong with me?” “Why can’t I just get over it?” These questions run through your head. You wonder if there will ever be a time that you don’t feel broken. It feels like your thinking is just so fucked up, you’ll never be “normal” again.
You don't know how much more you can take.
You’ve always been able to push through, but you’re worried that you won’t be able to for much longer. Maybe the thought of suicide is even starting to pop into your mind. It’s not that you want to die. But you just don’t want to live like this anymore. It’s hard to see options, and you really don’t know who or what is safe anymore.
You don't have to live like that.
Imagine living your life without be ruled by your past. You go about your day and the reminders that used to throw you off never come. Your thinking is more positive, and you can actually start expecting good things to happen. And most importantly, you feel confident in your role as a helper again. You know that no matter what happens, you can handle it.
Counseling for trauma can help.
I’m Regina Stiffler LPC, LCPC. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re broken. The reminders are powerful, and it is embarrassing when you get triggered by stuff other people consider minor. And when death feels like your only way out, it’s terrifying. But you’re not broken. Your body is just doing exactly what it’s supposed to do when it’s been through some major stuff.
I look at counseling for trauma differently from other therapists. Other therapists expect you to come in and start talking about the bad shit that happened to you before you’ve even been able to build a trusting relationship with them. That can leave you feeling unsettled and often results in people leaving therapy. Instead, we’ll start out slowly. When we talk about your trauma, it will only be in general terms to begin with. Together, we can find the tools to manage when you get triggered before we start doing work that will really dig into your trauma.
It is hard to find time to meet with a therapist. With that in mind, I offer a limited number of Sunday sessions and all sessions are online so you don’t have to drive to an office. I allow the flexibility that if you need to cancel at the last minute, you can do that without a fee so long as you reschedule within the same week. And I promise to always be real with you, whether it’s being myself in our sessions or (gently) calling you out when you need to be called out.
Common Questions
Below are some of the most common questions people have when they’re looking for counseling for trauma. And remember, if you have any other questions, you can schedule a free consultation or contact us to ask.
How do you know counseling for trauma will help?
While we can’t guarantee any results, most people find that at the very least, they learn new ways to manage their feelings and even after only a few sessions, they’re feeling better. We use evidence based practices, but that does not guarantee that any particular person
What methods of counseling for trauma do you use?
When it comes to counseling for trauma, I believe you should have options. Therapy isn’t one size fits all, so a method of counseling that works for one person might not necessarily work for you. That said, I offer EMDR therapy, Narrative Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and other methods as needed. If you don’t have a preference before we start, I’ll talk to you about your options and help you choose which you’d like to start with.
How long will you be in counseling?
The most simple answer to this question is that everyone is different and it varies. Everyone has different exposures to trauma, different levels of resilience, etc. Comparing yourself to others in how fast they complete counseling isn’t just unkind, it’s unhelpful.
I once listened to an EMDR podcast which compared trauma therapy to curry. Basically, trauma is like the spice from the curry. We all have different amounts, and some of us have had the spice cooked in us for longer periods of time. If we want to take the spice out, we can’t just scrape the spice off the surface like we would if we had added a bunch of spice all at the end. Instead, it would be a long, difficult process to make our curry less spicy.
How much does therapy cost?
Earthsong Counseling works with multiple insurance companies to keep your costs down. Insurance coverage is available in Texas only at this time. For those who do not have insurance or prefer not to use their insurance, we offer 45 minute therapy sessions for $140, 55 minute sessions for $160, or 90 minute sessions for $230. We make getting reimbursed for out of network insurance; just ask about that. A sliding scale is available.
Please keep in mind, though, that 90 minute sessions are only available to clients who are self-paying. Insurance does not reliably cover these extended sessions. If you are paying for your own therapy, you are entitled to an estimate of your costs for therapy for the year. Please ask if you have any questions about this estimate.
