Trauma and Stress
Therapy for Midlife Women
Therapy won’t change what happened- but it can give you an opportunity for a new experience.
You’re accomplished. You also fear disappointment.
You feel on guard much of the time, like you're waiting for the next shoe to drop even when everything seems calm. Maybe your shoulders are tight, your mind is racing at bedtime, or you can't relax even on days off. At times it may feel hard to get off the couch or find the energy to do the things you need to do; dishes are piling up, texts are unanswered, or you're canceling plans because you just can't. You've noticed a harsh inner narrator picking apart comments you've made or replaying conversations, and are often harder on yourself than you'd ever be on anyone else.
You're successful and capable, but still feel like you're never quite doing enough. You receive a positive review at work but can't quite take it in — exhaustion instead of pride, a wave of imposter syndrome. No matter how much you accomplish, there is always something else to handle, another expectation to meet, or another way you could have done better. You'd like support and connection, but it can feel hard to let people in because sometimes you feel like a burden. You fear disappointing them, or being disappointed by them — so you're bracing for rejection before the call is even made.
You might recognize some of these experiences:
Feeling like you’re always muscling through life
Decision fatigue
Constantly monitoring other people’s reactions, facial expressions
Feeling unable to move on from stressful or traumatic experiences
Persistent Anger
Anxiousness
Feeling disconnected or withdrawn
What does therapy for trauma and stress look like?
I use Somatic Experiencing (SE) alongside traditional talk therapy because trauma and stress often live below our thought patterns. It's in bracing, tension, a racing heart, a body that goes still, or decisions that can't get made. This isn't about reliving what happened. It's about creating an opportunity for a new experience.
Early sessions often focus on building rapport and finding what helps you feel grounded and safe. We'll go at a slower pace, taking time to notice and work with what's happening in your body. You may start to notice things like tension, temperature, or heart rate as they arise. We'll track and work with sensation, not just talk about events. You'll work with small, manageable pieces at a time, rather than diving too deep too soon and getting overwhelmed.
What healing can look like:
Over time many clients notice they can be more present and feel more regulated. When old triggers or memories come up they feel less reactive and have the tools to support themselves through it. They find themselves feeling more empowered to make choices that support their wellbeing and goals with more choice and less overwhelm. Relationships become more satisfying, and they find they find a deeper more aligned sense of self.
My clients can still notice activation and have relationship issues- that's a normal part of life. But over time they feel less overwhelmed by them, less like the rug is going to be pulled out from under them, and more like they trust themselves to handle the situation, take care of themselves, and seek and receive thesupport they need from others.
Frequently asked questions about trauma and stress therapy
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Trauma and stress aren't just "in your head" — they live in your body, often as tension, pain, shutdown, or a nervous system stuck on high alert. Maybe it shows up as a jaw that won't unclench, a stomach that always feels knotted up, or a body that treats a team meeting like a threat. Somatic Experiencing (SE) works with that directly. Instead of cycling through the story over and over again, we gently track sensations, emotions, and patterns as they show up right now, and offer your system expression or resolution it previously didn't have access to. Bit by bit, your body starts to understand the danger has passed. Over time, this can lead to a greater sense of ease, safety, and connection with yourself.
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You won't be asked to share every detail or walk through the worst parts of your experience. You don't have to relive the story to heal from it. We'll still talk; verbal processing is part of the work too, and there's space to share as much or as little of the story as feels right. In SE, instead of focusing on the story, we work with what's happening in your body in the present moment — the tension, the bracing, the freeze — and let that guide the process. We move at a pace that feels manageable, with an emphasis on choice and building your capacity to be present. The goal is to help your nervous system complete any unfinished business it has, so it can catch up to your current reality.
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You don't even have to call your experience "traumatic" for this work to help. You may have significant ongoing stress that affects your mood and ability to be present. Maybe you feel constantly on edge, easily overwhelmed, or numbed out — going through the motions of your day on autopilot. Maybe your body never really understood that the stressful situation is over, so it stays braced or waiting. If any of this sounds familiar, Somatic Experiencing® with a trained therapist might be a good fit. Nothing is "wrong" with you — these are very human responses to stressful situations. Your system could just use some support, whether you're currently living through something stressful or the situation has passed and your nervous system just hasn't noticed you're safe now. The work I do can help you build a greater sense of steadiness, choice, and trust in yourself again.