March 27, 2021
Why my approach to trauma therapy is different
I know you’ve heard it before. Therapists bragging about why they’re better than the rest. Talking about what sets them apart, or why they’re worth the cost. And sure, there’s some truth to that. Something we’ve all heard or learned the hard way is that you get what you pay for. Again, there’s some truth to that. But why am I telling you all of this?
Because this conversation is important.
As a person and a therapist, I value self-reflection and honesty. Taking a look at your life and evaluating what you’re good and not so good at is a great way to practice honesty. Not just with ourselves, but with every aspect of our life. Our relationships, interests, passions, and overall experience with the world around us. Sure, maybe you see the value in this. Maybe you agree that evaluating aspects of our lives through this lens can be helpful.
But, at this point, you’re probably curious about where this is going.
I have practiced this myself. As a therapist, I often critically evaluate what I do well and what I can be doing better. By doing this, I challenge myself to consider and reconsider my interactions. Overall, this has been very helpful for my practice. With this in mind, I have done this with my approach to trauma therapy. By doing so, I have found what sets me apart as a trauma therapist.
As a trauma therapist, I do more than pull weeds.
Hear me out. I invite you to think about a garden. Consider all of the knowledge you have about the upkeep of a garden. There’s quite a bit that goes into it, right? First, it’s preparing the soil, then picking and planting the seeds. From there, it’s using fertilizer, watering the seeds, and doing your best to provide a safe environment for the plants to grow. Often, our goal is for the garden to stay nice, polished, and fruitful. So, take the necessary measures. As a gardener, we’re doing our best to do all of the things we need to keep our garden looking perfect. But, something unexpected happens. Something that we were trying to avoid at all costs. Something that we thought only happened to other people, but it happened to us.
Weeds.
Yep. Weeds. The thing that can destroy a garden. The thing that can make a garden look unpolished and unkempt. Ugh. We tried to avoid this! But, here are we. So, we have to do something right? We can’t just let the weeds grow everywhere and destroy the entire garden! We have a few options. The first option we pick is pulling the weeds. And, hey, this works! You pull all of the weeds and the problem is gone! Or so it seems. Any length of time passes, then the weeds come back. This time, they’re bigger and their roots are deeper. Nevertheless, we keep pulling. Keep de-weeding our garden. And sure, de-weeding works temporarily. But, the weeds always come back. Always.
This is where my approach to trauma therapy is different.
In the analogy above, the weeds represent trauma in our garden- or life. By pulling the weeds, or focusing on isolated aspects, we saw a pattern. We didn’t solve the problem, we just got rid of it temporarily. And when it came back, it was much worse than it was the first time. Instead of focusing on the isolated incidents that come up, my goal is to get to the root of the problem. As a trauma therapist, I know that the roots of trauma often run deep. Too often, we focus on what we can see on the surface. Sure, that provides us with some context. But, it’s not the entire story.
Effective trauma therapy gets at the root of the problem
And this is what I do with my clients. Through our work together in trauma therapy, my goal is to get to the underlying problem that you’re navigating. Because, at the end of the day, this is what’s making it difficult to continue in your daily life. This is the piece that’s interrupting the progress you want to make in your relationships, career, personal growth, and happiness. Yes, it will feel difficult at first. There might be a time that you don’t look forward to your session for trauma therapy. And, that’s completely normal. Uncovering these wounds is the first step towards healing from the past. On top of that, this isn’t something that you’ll be doing alone.
I look forward to having you start trauma therapy in New York with me!
As an experienced trauma therapist, I’m here to help. Navigating the aftermath of trauma on your own is no longer your burden to carry. Currently, I am offering all of my services through online therapy in New York. So, I’m able to work with you anywhere you are in the state of New York. When you’re ready to get started with me, follow these steps:
- Reach out to me.
- Get to know me, Deborah Karnbad, as your new trauma therapist.
- Do more than just pull weeds!
Other Related Counseling Services in New York
Individual therapy
Anxiety Treatment
Grief Counseling
Couples counseling and marriage counseling
Counseling for step-parents
Online therapy in New York