Healing Is Possible With Trauma Therapy at A New View of You in San Diego, CA

Have you ever asked yourself "have I experienced trauma?"

For many of us, the word brings up images of major life events—accidents, losses, violence—but, often, it’s more than that. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if the pain we feel counts as trauma or if it's just a part of life we’re supposed to push through. Maybe you've felt weighed down by memories you can’t shake, or emotions that seem to flare up unexpectedly, and you wonder "Is this normal?" The line between what hurts and what truly harms can be confusing, leaving us to question if what we’re feeling is trauma or something else altogether.

Trauma can leave lasting emotional, mental, and physical effects, but with the right support, healing is possible. At A New View of You, we specialize in trauma therapy, helping individuals in the San Diego, California, area process and overcome the lingering effects of traumatic experiences. Melisa, our primary trauma therapist, offers compassionate, solution-oriented care through advanced, evidence-based methods that provide lasting relief. Whether you’re dealing with childhood trauma, PTSD, or recent life-altering events, our therapy for trauma can help you regain clarity, focus, and control.

The Neuroscience Behind Trauma

When we are faced with an overwhelming event (it doesn't have to be catastrophic), the brain activates the amygdala in the limbic system, triggering survival responses like hypervigilance, fight or flight, freeze, dissociation, or people-pleasing/unthinking compliance. This is an automatic reaction in our brain meant to protect us in moments of extreme stress. However, if the trauma is too intense or unresolved, the memory of the experience can become "stuck" in the place in our brain, frozen in time and in fragments, like shrapnel, which then can be easily triggered.

This leaves the brain and body in a state of high alert, often replaying the traumatic event over and over when there’s no immediate threat. Re-experiencing this state can lead to stressful and disturbing symptoms like flashbacks, moodiness, disconnection, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness. This response is our brain's attempt to protect us but, in effect due to survival instincts, keeps us trapped in a cycle of reliving the trauma.

Trapped By Trauma: What It Looks Like

After a traumatic event (maybe weeks, months, years) you may continue to experience trauma stressors that feel like a range of painful reminders that persist such as:

Intrusive Memories and Flashbacks

Trauma isn’t neatly confined to the past; it has a way of creeping into your daily life through intrusive thoughts, vivid flashbacks, or unsettling dreams that make it feel like you’re reliving the traumatic event over and over. These moments can be unpredictable, distressing, and can make it feel as if true healing is always out of reach.

Hypervigilance and Emotional Instability

Trauma can leave you feeling constantly on edge, always waiting for the next disaster to strike. This state of hypervigilance is both mentally and physically exhausting, impacting your ability to relax, enjoy life, or trust the world around you. Emotional volatility often follows, with intense mood swings or bouts of anger, sadness, or anxiety that feel beyond your control.

Difficulties with Relationships and Connection

Trauma can create deep-seated trust issues and fears of vulnerability, making it challenging to maintain healthy relationships. You might feel isolated, disconnected, or unable to let others truly know or understand you. The desire to feel close to others may conflict with a persistent fear of being hurt, leading to strained relationships and loneliness.

Overwhelming Sense of Being Stuck

Perhaps one of the hardest parts of trauma is the sense that you’re not moving forward. Even with traditional therapy, you might feel that you’re still reliving the same painful memories and stuck in the same mental and emotional cycles. It can feel as though trauma has created an invisible wall, blocking your way to a fulfilling life and preventing you from experiencing a true sense of peace.

Physical Symptoms

Trauma isn’t just a mental or emotional experience; it’s also profoundly physical. Many people living with trauma endure chronic tension, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and other stress-related conditions that can feel like a daily reminder of their unresolved pain. Your body holds onto the stress, keeping you physically trapped in the trauma even when your mind longs to move forward.

Does this sound familiar? If yes, you may be experiencing trauma stress symptoms due to a traumatic event(s).

Find Your Path to Recovery With Trauma Therapy

The good news is trauma is treatable. Take a moment to imagine a life where stress no longer controls you, and you feel empowered, resilient, and genuinely happy. That’s possible! You are not alone, and trauma therapy at A New View of You in San Diego can guide you through every step of your healing journey.

What Is Trauma Therapy?

Trauma therapy is a specialized form of counseling designed to address the unique challenges of individuals who have experienced significant distress or harm. The goal is to help clients process trauma in a safe, supportive environment while reducing the emotional and psychological burdens they carry. Unlike general talk therapy, specialized therapy for trauma often incorporates techniques that work with both the mind and body, ensuring a holistic healing process.

At A New View of You, Melisa integrates her expertise in art therapy, neuroscience, and other modalities to provide a personalized approach to healing. Her unique approach to trauma therapy, often including the Instinctual Trauma Response® (ITR), ensures clients feel supported throughout the process and leave with practical tools for lasting relief.

Healing Is Within Reach

Ready to learn how you can break free from the weight of trauma and reclaim peace in your life? Take the first step today with a free, no-obligation 15-minute consultation call. In just a few minutes, we’ll help you discover how trauma therapy at A New View of You in San Diego can transform your life. You deserve a future unburdened by the past and we'd like to help you get there. Book your call now and start living the life you’ve always wanted!