Relational Trauma Therapy in AR, TX, & SC
Reclaim Your Power and Thrive - Heal from unhealthy relationship patterns and emotional wounds and build fulfilling healthy relationships.
Do you feel trapped in a cycle of painful relationships, haunted by echoes of past betrayals or a lingering sense of abandonment?
Maybe a recent breakup left you devastated, or you realized that you chose partners who mirror the emotional unavailability you experienced as a child. Perhaps you feel constantly on guard, struggle with trust, or find yourself repeating the same unhealthy patterns. You may feel unlovable, unworthy, and exhausted from always putting others' needs first.
You notice that in your daily life:
You struggle to open up and be vulnerable, even when you crave closeness.
You constantly doubt whether you're worthy of love and belonging.
You find yourself engaging in self-sabotage or people-pleasing behaviors.
You struggle to set healthy boundaries and often find yourself giving too much.
Flashes of painful memories or arguments intrude at unexpected moments, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and anxious.
You fear genuine connection or find maintaining healthy, fulfilling relationships challenging.
Understanding Your Struggle
Even when someone is physically present, emotional abandonment can leave deep, lasting wounds. Growing up feeling unseen, unsupported, or having your emotions minimized can shape how you view yourself and your relationships as an adult. It shapes your core beliefs about yourself and your relationships:
Unworthiness: "I'm not good enough." "I'm unlovable/undesirable." "I'm too much."
Abandonment: "People I love will always leave me." "I can't rely on anyone."
Mistrust: "If I show my true self, I'll be rejected." "I have to protect myself at all costs." "It's safer to be alone than to risk getting hurt."
Self-Sacrifice: "My needs don't matter." "Putting others first is the only way for them to love me." "Expressing my needs makes me selfish." "If I don't make them happy, they'll leave me."
Feeling 'othered': "I don't belong anywhere." "I will never truly be understood."
This isn't about 'getting over it' – it's about finding the support to heal deeply, reclaim your worth, and build the healthy, fulfilling connections you deserve. It's time to break free from these patterns and heal the parts of you that still feel abandoned and alone.
Relational Trauma Therapy Can Help
It may feel impossible now, but you can build fulfilling, safe relationships, heal old wounds of abandonment, rediscover your worthiness, and learn to trust yourself and others. And I can help you get there.
Relational Trauma Therapy helps you do three key things:
Discover the Roots: Uncover the root of your relationship struggles, understanding how past experiences shape your present behaviors.
Develop Healthy Coping Tools: We'll develop strategies for managing overwhelming emotions, flashbacks, and triggers.
Build Trust and Connection: We'll create a safe space for self-discovery and skill-building. You'll build confidence in expressing your needs, setting boundaries, and choosing healthy, fulfilling connections.
I'll guide you through this process, tailoring each step to your unique needs and circumstances. My approach to relational trauma therapy comes from a place of compassion and empowerment: Healing is possible, and you deserve to feel safe, understood, and worthy of love.
You don't have to live life feeling alone, disconnected, and unworthy of love.
Uncover the Root of Your Relationship Struggles
Patterns of Unhealthy Relationships
Are you caught in a cycle of choosing the wrong partners? Do you find yourself repeating the same negative relationship patterns, even when you desperately want something different? If you feel trapped by toxic dynamics, constantly on edge, or continually drawn to those who are emotionally unavailable, it's time to break free and build the fulfilling connections you deserve.
Self-Worth and Relationship Anxiety
Does a nagging voice inside tell you that you don't deserve real love and happiness? Do you struggle with a deep-seated fear of abandonment or feeling like you're not good enough? Does anxiety or self-doubt undermine your relationships, making it hard to feel safe and secure? If you long for confidence, self-acceptance, and healthy connections, it's time to break free from the patterns holding you back.
Betrayal Trauma
Has a significant breach of trust, whether an infidelity or a broken promise, whether romantic or within a close friendship or family, left you feeling shattered and unsure who to trust? Does the pain of betrayal make it feel impossible to believe in love and connection? Do you find yourself isolating or questioning the foundations of your relationships? If the pain of betrayal keeps you from experiencing the love and authentic connections you crave, it's time to process grief, heal the hurt, and gradually rebuild your capacity to form secure, fulfilling relationships.
Codependency and People-Pleasing
Do you often forget about your happiness, trying to make everyone else happy? Do you find it almost impossible to say 'no'? Is it difficult to set healthy boundaries or express your wants and needs? If you find yourself feeling burnt out, resentful, and unfulfilled, it's time to reclaim your voice and prioritize your well-being in relationships.
Emotional Abandonment and Neglect
Did you grow up feeling like your voice didn't matter, feeling alone or unseen, or your emotional needs were dismissed or ignored? Do you carry a deep sense of unworthiness or have difficulty opening up and trusting others? Do you carry a sense of being unseen, unsupported, or unworthy of love? If you struggle to trust or feel safe in relationships, it's time to heal the past and build connections based on security and belonging.
Childhood Relational Trauma
Did you experience a childhood where you felt unsafe, unloved, or constantly criticized? Did these unresolved experiences from your childhood shape your beliefs about yourself, love, and the world? If you find yourself struggling with a sense of unworthiness, difficulty forming healthy attachments, or repeating destructive patterns, exploring the roots of these challenges can lead to profound transformation. If you're ready to break free from those patterns and build healthy connections, it's time for you to rewrite the narratives from your past and create a future filled with safe, loving connections.
“Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.”
—Robert Holden
FAQs
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My childhood was difficult, but will focusing on the past really help my present relationships?
Understanding how past relationships, especially those with early caregivers, shaped your attachment styles and beliefs is crucial to change. We'll focus on linking those experiences to your current struggles, empowering you to make different choices today.
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Will I have to cut off family, friends, or past partners if I work on my relational trauma?
Healing doesn't always mean cutting ties. The focus is on understanding how these relationships affected you, developing healthy boundaries, and building a support system that serves you well, regardless of whether those people remain in your life.
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I worry that my past betrayals mean I'll never be able to trust again. Is hope possible?
Healing from betrayal is possible. Therapy can help you process grief, differentiate between healthy and unhealthy trust, and gradually rebuild your capacity for safe, fulfilling relationships.
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Will you tell me what to do in my relationships?
My role is to empower you to find your own answers. I'll share insights, offer tools, and support your exploration of what feels right for YOU. Ultimately, YOU are the expert on your relationships.
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Can therapy help me find a healthy relationship in the future?
Absolutely. Healing from relational trauma allows you to recognize healthy relationship patterns, identify your needs, and communicate them effectively. This lays the foundation for building the kind of secure, fulfilling connections you deserve.
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My relational trauma stems from friendships, not just romantic partners. Can you help with this?
Yes, relational trauma can develop from any close, significant relationship. We can explore how these experiences affect your overall sense of trust, self-worth, and ability to form healthy connections in your life.
How I Help
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
Learn the tools for emotional healing by processing emotional distress and painful memories, managing triggers, reducing negative self-talk, and rewriting your story.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Learn to accept what's outside your control by accepting difficult thoughts and emotions, commiting to your values and goals, and take action towards a meaningful life.
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Sex Therapy
Expert guidance and a safe space to explore your sexual desires, navigate relationship dynamics, and build healthy sexual expression, so you can rediscover the joy and intimacy you deserve.