Specialties
Therapy for Family Trauma
Sylva-based telehealth counseling serving
early adults across North Carolina.
“Promises mean everything when you’re little, And the world is so big, I just don’t understand how, You can smile with all those tears in your eyes, When you tell me everything is wonderful now”- Everclear
If you are ready to build a life that works for your brain rather than against it, reach out today to see if we could be a good fit.
If you are reading this page, the first thing I want you to know is that your shit with your family is REAL. We live in a world that constantly challenges and questions the validity of our experiences. Maybe you have tried to open up about what childhood was like for you or about your current relationship with your parents, and you’ve been met with: “Eh, all families have their stuff.” “But your parents are so delightful!” “There are people that have it worse.” “It’s called tough love for a reason.” “I’m sure they are doing the best they can.” “They can’t help it.”
A lot of people joke about “mommy and daddy issues” and the fucking truth is this is a real thing. Fact that you might not know: the environment we are raised in changes our actual genetic material. Whether that looked like being yelled at, beaten up, neglected, criticized, blamed, shamed, or basically anything that gave you the message that “I am not loved, and I am not okay as who I am”- literally changes us from the inside out. This is what I call “family trauma.”
If you have experienced family trauma, you may resonate with the following:
An immediate family member struggled with mental health or addiction growing up.
Your parents often criticized you or left you feeling not good enough.
You didn’t feel safe enough to confide in your parents, for fear of their reactions.
You felt like you had to grow up much faster than other kids your age.
Your physical needs were met in childhood but your emotional needs were not.
People think “you have no problems”- and you actually struggle hardcore with emotions.
You find your relationship with your parents or family is incredibly draining.
You find it difficult to trust yourself about what you really need in relationships.
You have hidden parts of your identity from your parents to protect yourself.
And the truth is, a lot of these are still the reality for us when we hit adulthood. Maybe you still feel conflicted by your desire for emotional connection with your parents and their responses to your attempts for connection.
Or you still don’t feel like you measure up to what your parents want from you. Or you still haven’t figured out how to deal with your family’s dynamics in a way that doesn’t open you up to emotional, physical, or mental harm. Or you wonder if you need to cut ties with your family (and yes, this can be where you end up, and I will support you all the way).
Therapy for family trauma can help you:
Understand the impacts of family trauma on your brain and body.
Learn about ACES (adverse childhood experiences) and emotionally immature parents.
Discover connections between your upbringing and how you act in adult relationships.
Objectively explore how family dysfunction impacts the family unit and family roles.
Develop practical strategies for interacting with emotionally immature family members.
Make informed choices about your interactions and relationship with your family members.
Please note that I do not offer family therapy (e.g. involving one or more family members in a session); instead, I focus on supporting individuals who are wanting to explore and heal the impacts of their family life. My goal is not for you to maintain or sever relationships with your family; my goal is to help you decide what you want to do, given more information about yourself and what you want for your life.
If you are ready to learn more about how your family upbringing has impacted you and make more effective decisions regarding your family of origin, contact me today to see if we are a good fit.
Other Services
Sylva-based telehealth counseling serving early adults across North Carolina
Office
1294 Savannah Drive, Suite 3, Sylva, NC 28779
Office
(828) 547-3790
Monday to Friday : 11am – 5pm