You may have been feeling as though you've been given a life without an instruction manual. Relationships might be challenging for you, and in comparing yourself to other people, you feel like something is missing, that might explain how you end up with the "same person" over and over - the disrespectful, distant, controlling or dismissive person that the previously-ideal partner became, after a while. This is a pattern that can occur with Complex PTSD, a common situation with many of the clients I speak to, which can be resolved with psychoeducation and trauma therapy. You may also have other symptoms you think are simply "just how I am" such as dissociation, low mood/depression, anxiety and hypervigilance about your own social behaviors - constantly overthinking and regretting, shaming yourself for not doing or saying "the right thing." C-PTSD can co-occur with other disorders as well. The good news is, you can change. A trauma-informed therapist is a great first step on that journey.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Our first session is the start of an assessment - of symptoms, of the situation the client is in, of expectations for treatment, of whether we are a good fit to continue. Successive sessions continue the process of assessing and determining treatment goals, then moving into specific interventions to address the symptoms we identify.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My intent is to help the client understand what we're doing before we do it, because when you're hypervigilant, it's tough to blindly follow a therapist into an intervention, especially early in the relationship. Having had some confusing experiences in therapy myself, I would rather be clear and give a client choices, collaborate instead of dictate.

About Lori Pontious