Understanding medical trauma
Surgeries, chronic diagnoses, IVF and other invasive treatments are often necessary, and they can still overwhelm your nervous system. When your body goes through something frightening, painful or out of your control, it can hold on to that experience long after the appointment, the recovery or the treatment cycle has ended.
That can look like dread before check-ups, a racing heart in waiting rooms, feeling numb or far away from your body, or a lingering sense that your body can't be trusted. These are understandable responses, not signs that something is wrong with you.
My approach
Medical care often asks you to stay still, stay quiet and push through. In our work together, we pay attention to what your body experienced, not only the story of what happened, and we make room for the responses that never had a chance to finish: to brace, to pull away, to say no.
Through somatic therapy, we help your nervous system complete those self-protective responses, rebuild a sense of agency in your body, and meet the fear and tension that linger at a safe, grounded pace. You set the speed, and we never go further than feels manageable.
How I can help
After an emergency, a hospital stay or a frightening procedure, your nervous system can stay on high alert as if the danger hasn’t passed. Somatic therapy helps those survival responses settle so the past can feel like the past. Understanding your nervous system
Recovery can mean pain, setbacks, slow progress and uncertainty about what your body can do. You don’t have to wait until it’s over. Therapy can help you carry the emotional weight while you’re still in it and rebuild trust in your body.
IVF can bring hard decisions, hormone shifts, waiting, loss and hope all at once. Together we make room for the big feelings and steady your body through the highs and lows. What I wish I knew before IVF
I don’t give medical advice, and every decision stays with you and your care team. If PTSD or trauma runs deeper than one event, my Trauma & Attachment Therapy page may help too.
Who this is for
A safe space
You don't have to prove that what you went through was “bad enough.” Therapy here is a safe, non-pathologizing space to process health events without having to explain or defend your physical reactions. Your body's responses make sense, and we'll work with them rather than against them.
Common questions
Medical trauma is the lasting emotional and physical impact of a frightening, painful or out-of-control experience with your health or medical care, such as an emergency, a hospital stay, a surgery or a difficult treatment. It can look like post-traumatic stress: flashbacks, nightmares, feeling on edge, or feeling numb.
Yes. Somatic therapy helps your nervous system process what it went through, so the experience feels less like it’s still happening. We go at a pace that feels manageable, and you never have to relive everything at once.
Yes. You don’t have to wait until treatment is over to get support. Therapy can be a steady place to carry the emotional weight of recovery while you’re still in the middle of it, rebuild trust in your body and cope with setbacks.
Yes. IVF can bring hard decisions, hormone shifts, waiting, loss and hope, often all at once. Therapy gives you room to sort through your feelings, steady your body through the highs and lows and feel less alone. I don’t give medical advice, and every decision stays with you and your care team. Read what I wish I knew before IVF.
Yes. Grief and trauma often arrive together after a loss. You don’t have to justify how you’re responding, and we’ll make room for whatever you’re carrying.
No. Therapy supports your emotional wellbeing and nervous system alongside your medical care. I don’t diagnose or treat medical conditions or give medical advice, and I encourage you to stay in touch with your care team.
Keep reading: Understanding your nervous system · What I wish I knew before IVF · Trauma & Attachment Therapy.
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