You are not what’s happened to you.
Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy for trauma in MD and NY
Life feels harder for you than it looks for other people.
You have recently discovered that you have ADHD as an adult and you are starting to see how your neurospicy brain fell under the spell of invalidation. You now see how your brain’s search for dopamine combined with the consistent criticisms of being “stupid”, “lazy”, or “not trying hard enough” has led you down some dark paths because of “poor decisions” that you now regret.
People with neurodivergencies are more likely to experience trauma than the neurotypical, and to make things worse, they are also more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD).
They are more likely to be in abusive relationships, experience substance misuse, or have difficulty finding suitable employment.
You are not alone.
Helping you become best friends with your brain and heal from your trauma
You can use that need for new to help heal
You will be able to :
Forgive yourself
Be confident in your interactions
Feel comfortable in peace
Feel worthy and productive.
How this works:
You will find that the person behind the mask wants and needs just as much love as you do
You will learn to love that core part of you that has been hurt and allow them to come out and play as they are, and not how they think other people need/want them to be.
We will work together to learn that there is safety in peace
We will explore the true you and not that avatar that you play for other people in order to be liked or to feel safe
Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy for trauma can help you…
Reconnect with your authentic self
Identify that your traumas are not who you are, and to leave them in the past
Heal wounds caused by the traumatic events and constant invalidation that kept you questioning yourself and going along with the situation because it was the safer option.
Improve your daily functioning by creating routines that are exciting enough to keep you on track.
Frequently asked questions about Neurodivergent trauma therapy
FAQs
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The short answer:
Trauma is not what happened, it is the lasting effects due to the event. Gabor Mate (a big name in the trauma/mental health field) uses a car accident analogy. He states that the car accident isn't the problem, that is in the past, but it's the internal bleeding that is the problem and needs to be addressed. It is not the event(s), it's the emotional takeaway.
Trauma is also VERY subjective. What is traumatic for one person, will not be trauma to another person. For example, It's not the fact that you didn't get the pony you wanted, it's the feeling of not being loved, ignored, ridiculed, etc. that has a lasting effect on you and how you show up in relationships knowing in your bones that you are unlovable, not valued, and a joke, because you didn't get the pony.
Also, it doesn't have to be a single event, it can be a series of events like a critical parent or caretaker, abusive relationships, middle school, etc.
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Well, there are a couple of techniques and modalities that we can explore for you including psychodynamics (processing childhood memories), parts work, shadow work, etc.
We are not able to change what happened to you, but we can change your relationship with the event so that it does not hold power over you.
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Honestly, not too much difference in the modalities and techniques themselves, it's more about the approach when using these modalities.
Your neurodivergence affects EVERY PART of your life, and neurodivergent relationships are a big part of that, whether it is a relationship to a person, place, thing, action, ... you get the picture.
We will get into the role your particular brand has affected your life and your relationship to your trauma.
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PTSD stands for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
This means that the effects of the stress you encountered, generally a single event or time frame, have lingered longer than six months after the stress ended, (I can get into a whole thing about how arbitrary that time is, but now is not the time, my friend) which have interfered with your life in some way. There is an assessment that looks at 20 specific symptoms, but that doesn't always show the larger picture.
cPTSD stands for chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
This means that the stress you encountered was chronic and in and of itself, may not seem like a big deal, but they, too, have had lasting effects, interfering with your life. This is the one where you say, "It's not like I was (fill in the blank) or anything", or "I feel bad complaining, other people had it so much worse than I did". Remember, trauma is subjective, it is not compared to others, it is all your own and no one makes it more or less valid. If you were hurt by it in any way, shape, or form, it counts and we can process it together.
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Yeah, actually there is a ridiculously HUGE ADHD and PTSD overlap.
An ADDitude study found that 82% of adults with ADHD have experienced trauma. Another study found that Adults with ADHD and PTSD have a worse quality of life and likely have other mental health concerns, like anxiety, panic attacks, and depression (1).
Trauma can worsen ADHD symptoms because they both impact the same area of your brain (the prefrontal cortex) that is responsible for executive functioning (impulsivity, difficulty concentrating, wake/sleep cycle, etc). Children who have a history of trauma usually have more severe ADHD symptoms than in either diagnosis alone (2).
Our work together is not going to change your trauma or your neurodiversity, but we can uncouple your feelings of shame, embarrassment, guilt, and low self-esteem, to live a more complete life, filled with grace and space to be perfectly imperfect.
(1) https://www.additudemag.com/trauma-mental-health-impact-adhd/
(2) https://www.childdevelopmentclinic.com.au/adhd-and-complex-trauma.html)
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Click the link below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good therapeutic fit.