Trauma & PTSD Therapy in Brentwood

Understanding PTSD and Trauma in Adults

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not a sign of weakness. It is a complex physiological and psychological adaptation to overwhelming stress. The condition develops after exposure to a threatening event, or a series of ongoing events, and profoundly alters how a person perceives and interacts with the world. This changes their internal baseline from "safe" to "on alert."

Are you or a loved one experiencing these core symptoms?

• Intrusive Memories and Flashbacks: Reliving the event through vivid, unwanted images or nightmares.

• Dissociation and Emotional Numbness: A profound sense of disconnection from your own body, thoughts, memories, feelings, or actions—feeling as if you are "watching your life happen" rather than living it.

• Persistent Negative Mood and Cognitive Distortions: Lasting negative beliefs about yourself (“I am damaged”), the world (“Nowhere is safe”), or others.

• Hyperarousal and Reactivity: A constant, exhausting state of alertness, panic, irritability, exaggerated startle response, or severe sleep issues.

Why Traditional Talk Therapy Isn't Always Enough

Many clients come to me after having tried traditional "talk therapy" for years. They often feel frustrated, believing they have failed because they know, logically, that the event is in the past, yet their bodies still react as if the threat is imminent.

This isn't a failure of will, but a sign to be flexible in our approach.

Trauma doesn't reside in the conscious, narrative-driven part of the brain that talk therapy sufficiently accesses. Traumatic memory is "stuck" deeper down, in the subcortical regions (the limbic system and the brainstem). This is the primal brain responsible for survival: the "fight, flight, fawn, or freeze" mechanism.

When you are triggered, this primal brain takes over, flooding your body with stress hormones and overriding your logical thinking. To resolve trauma, we must bridge the gap between your mind and your body. Talking about it helps with understanding, but true recovery requires first healing the dysregulation of the nervous system.

Understanding the Nervous System

Oftentimes, the struggle with PTSD mainly involves a nervous system that has become disorganized in trying to keep you safe. After a threatening event or events, the biological mechanism responsible for managing stress, the autonomic nervous system, can get "stuck."

If you have hyperarousal, your system is stuck "on," which shows up as anxiety, panic, and difficulty relaxing. If you experience dissociation or numbness, you may be stuck in a "freeze" or shutdown response.

My approach helps you recognize which state you're in and offers practical, body-based tools to gently restore balance to your nervous system.

A Deeply Integrated Path to Healing

My approach to treating PTSD and traumatic symptoms prioritizes this mind-body reconnection. By integrating traditional psychotherapy with advanced somatic (body-based) practices, we can target trauma at its root.

This framework facilitates deep, lasting change by utilizing these specific modalities:

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Attachment Theory: We often carry internalized "parts" that were formed during trauma—parts that are hypervigilant, angry, or deeply afraid. We work to identify, understand, and integrate these parts. Furthermore, we examine how early relational (attachment) patterns influence current emotional responses, healing wounds that can exacerbate PTSD symptoms.

• Brainspotting (BSP): This technique accesses the subcortical, processing parts of the brain where trauma is often held beyond the reach of words. By utilizing relevant eye positions ("brainspots") associated with traumatic memories, we can facilitate natural, deep-brain processing. This significantly reduces the emotional and physiological charge of traumatic events, often without needing to recount the traumatic details.

• Mind-Body Integration: True recovery means reclaiming a sense of safety within your own skin. I incorporate the principles of MindfulnessMeditation (cultivating non-judgmental awareness) and Yoga (enhancing body awareness, grounding, and breath regulation). I also provide eco-therapy if you’d prefer walk-and-talk therapy outdoors when the weather is nice.

What to Expect in Our Sessions:

The unknown can be a source of stress, especially when starting therapy. Our sessions are collaborative and move at your pace. While we do discuss your challenges and emotions, we also regularly "check in" with your body's responses. We might use mindful breathing techniques or grounding exercises to ensure you feel stabilized. In a Brainspotting session, we may use specific tools (like a pointer) to identify your brainspot and allow your brain to process deeply, while I maintain a supportive, containing presence.

I help people move beyond survival toward genuine peace.

Together, we explore the root causes of your symptoms and find solutions that fit your life. I help my clients through the maze of their emotions and thoughts, moving them to a place of cognitive and emotional flexibility so they can make decisions on their own terms again.

My clients in Brentwood (and the surrounding Nashville area) are often professionals, fathers, mothers, young adults, or the young at heart. Trauma is a common, though unfortunate, part of the human experience. It is not something reserved only for those who have seen combat.

If any of this sounds like what you or a loved one is struggling with, I’d be happy to chat. Online therapy is also available.

Please note: I am not accepting Insurance at this time.