Healing What Hurts—Reclaiming Your Voice, Worth, and Safety
Trauma doesn’t just live in the past—it can echo through your body, your mind, and your relationships long after the event is over. Whether caused by a single moment or years of ongoing harm, trauma can change the way you see yourself and the world. At Ubuntu Psychological Services, we provide trauma-informed therapy to help individuals safely process their experiences, reconnect with themselves, and reclaim their lives.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma refers to any emotionally or physically threatening experience that overwhelms your ability to cope. Trauma can result from a single event, such as an assault, natural disaster, or medical emergency—or from repeated experiences, like childhood neglect, intimate partner violence, or ongoing systemic oppression.
Trauma can also be invisible to others. It might come from being constantly dismissed, degraded, or made to feel unsafe—what some describe as death by a thousand papercuts. These cumulative microaggressions and lived experiences can erode your sense of safety, self-worth, and emotional stability.
Common causes of trauma
Everyone’s experience of trauma is unique, but common causes include:
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Intimate partner violence
- Medical trauma or surgical complications
- Pregnancy loss or traumatic birth
- Childhood neglect or abandonment
- Sexual assault or violation
- Bullying, verbal abuse, or threats
- Losing a loved one to suicide or sudden death
- Car accidents or natural disasters (e.g., fires, earthquakes)
- Witnessing violence or being the victim of a crime
- Experiences of racism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, ableism, or other forms of systemic oppression
- Intergenerational trauma, including inherited family dysfunction or abuse
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What is complex trauma?
When trauma occurs repeatedly, especially in relationships that are meant to be safe—such as with a parent, partner, or caregiver—it can lead to complex trauma (C-PTSD). Survivors of complex trauma often experience:
- Chronic shame and low self-worth
- Emotional dysregulation and intense mood shifts
- Difficulty trusting others or maintaining relationships
- Self-blame and internalized negative beliefs
- Deep fear of abandonment or rejection
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Sexual trauma and its lasting impact
Sexual assault is both widespread and deeply misunderstood. Survivors are too often blamed, dismissed, or shamed into silence—especially women and gender-diverse individuals. The emotional wounds may include:
- Shame and self-disgust
- Fear of physical intimacy
- Feeling "used," unsafe, or disconnected from your body
- Loss of trust in others—even in loving relationships
- Triggers in everyday life or during sexual activity
- Isolation and fear of being believed or supported
Our approach to trauma therapy at Ubuntu
At Ubuntu Psychological Services, we provide a safe, inclusive, and nonjudgmental space for clients to explore and heal from trauma. Our therapists are trained in trauma-informed care, and many specialize in treating both acute and complex trauma, as well as PTSD and C-PTSD.
Your treatment may include:
- Trauma-Informed Talk Therapy – Build trust, explore your history, and safely process your   experiences with a licensed professional.
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – A powerful, evidence-based   approach to reducing emotional intensity from traumatic memories without needing to retell every detail.
- Somatic Techniques – Learn to listen to your body’s signals, release tension, and regulate your nervous system.
- Culturally Responsive Therapy – We recognize how culture, identity, gender, race, and systemic oppression intersect with trauma—and we meet you with understanding and   respect.
- Support for  Intergenerational Healing – Whether you're the first in your family to break a cycle or navigating complex family dynamics, we help you build healthier relational patterns.
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How Trauma Affects Your Life
Trauma changes the nervous system. But with the right tools, therapy can help reset your system—and restore your sense of safety and self. Untreated trauma can impact every part of life, including:
- Anxiety, panic attacks, or chronic hypervigilance
- Depression, numbness, or hopelessness
- Flashbacks or nightmares
- Sleep problems or fatigue
- Chronic pain or unexplained physical symptoms
- Addictive or self-destructive behaviors
- Difficulty trusting, connecting, or feeling safe in relationships
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ADHD Testing Accommodations and Workplace Support
Ubuntu Psychological Services works collaboratively with families, schools, and employers to help implement these supports. A formal diagnosis of ADHD can open the door to supportive accommodations at school and work:
Reclaim your story
Trauma may have shaped your past, but it doesn’t have to define your future. You can break generational patterns, restore your sense of worth, and build a life that feels safe, connected, and joyful.