Complex Trauma
Multiple or prolonged traumatic experiences leading to deep emotional and psychological effects. Therapy offers structured healing, emotional regulation tools, and long-term support.
Overview
Complex trauma results from chronic, repeated, or long-term exposure to traumatic situations—often during childhood or within relationships. Unlike single-event trauma, C-PTSD affects identity, relationships, emotional regulation, and self-perception. It often includes emotional flashbacks, deep shame, and difficulty trusting others.
Symptoms
Emotional flashbacks (reliving feelings, not events)
Chronic shame or worthlessness
Difficulty regulating emotions
Relationship instability
Strong fear of abandonment
Dissociation or numbness
Negative self-image
Hypervigilance
Trust issues
Difficulty feeling safe even in safe environments
Causes
Long-term childhood abuse (emotional, physical, sexual)
Growing up in an unsafe or unpredictable home
Domestic violence
Prolonged neglect
Repeated traumatic relationships
Captivity-like situations (control, dependency, isolation)
How Therapy Can Help
Long-term trauma-informed therapy
Phase-wise treatment (stabilization → processing → integration)
EMDR for reprocessing layered trauma
Somatic therapy for stored body trauma
Developing emotional regulation skills
Rebuilding identity and self-worth
Corrective emotional experiences with a safe therapist
Learning secure attachment patterns
