Online Complex-PTSD Therapy in New Jersey
Therapy for adults who survived long-term trauma with no escape at the time.
Childhood abuse and neglect, as well as intimate partner violence are the types of complex trauma that most often results in the psychiatric condition, Complex-PTSD (C-PTSD). The trauma that results in this condition is trauma that is recurrent and long-lasting, making it complex compared to single incident trauma often associated with PTSD.
C-PTSD is about what happened to us but it’s also about what we didn’t get. The lack of emotional attunement from caregivers addicted to substances or not receiving their own mental health treatment. The stonewalling and constant contempt from a partner who you’re desperately seeking validation and closeness from. The bullying for years in school that went unnoticed or dismissed.
What is Complex Trauma?
Symptoms of C-PTSD
Re-experiencing: Nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts
Avoidance: Avoiding what is associated with the traumatic experiences
Sense of threat: Person experiences a sense of hyper vigilance and danger
Affect dysregulation: Emotional reactivity, emotional numbing, dissociation
Negative self-concept: Low self-esteem, shame, worthlessness
Interpersonal disturbances: Difficulty forming secure relationships, avoiding close relationships, struggling to sustain relationships
All of the above symptoms create significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. If functioning is maintained, it is only possible because of additional efforts.
Approaches to Complex-PTSD
Who is Online C-PTSD Therapy in New Jersey For?
Adults in New Jersey can benefit from this work to address the following challenges:
Emotional flashbacks that rob you of your present experience
You struggle to feel secure in your relationships despite great partners
You use avoidance as a way to cope, going so far as to avoid your own feelings
You’re chronically shifting between emotional numbness, reactivity, and hyper-vigilance
You’ve tried to reflect on your past but dissociation gets in the way
You hold onto feelings that you are shameful, unworthy, and harbor guilt
You’re woken up because of nightmares/night terrors
What Complex-PTSD Therapy with me Looks Like
Typically, all of my clients begin by scheduling a free 15-minute consultation. Similar to my general trauma therapy approach, I don’t require that folks tell me what happened because that can be too much too soon. Instead, I’ll prioritize your internal sense of safety. Because C-PTSD is accompanied by signifiant attachment trauma and relational wounding, I just want to focus on humanizing the therapeutic process and staying curious about you while going at your pace.
We’ll talk about how what you’ve endured is affecting your present experience and assess whether the approaches that I’m trained in feel like a good fit. From there, we decide on frequency of sessions. My intention is to have a consistent and reliable day and time for each of my clients to meet with me.
Over the course of our work together, you’ll come to understand what meaning you made of yourself and the world in response to the complex trauma. The work will focus on facilitating the fundamental unlearning of those meanings, bringing your brain and body into the present.
How Long Does it Take to Heal From C-PTSD?
Because C-PTSD is a condition born out of repeated and ongoing trauma, I’ll encourage you to be patient with yourself and the process. If you’ve survived years of trauma, I don’t expect you to be symptom free in a matter of months. Some symptoms may resolve quickly while others may take a year or more to resolve.
As the therapeutic work progresses, clients notice that they’re able to let joy into their lives rather than question it. The personality that felt set in stone after years of trauma feel dissolves and they actually get to know themselves again. They feel connected to others and approach relationships with clarity. The shame no longer dictates their every move.