Trauma Therapy in Waxhaw, NC — Healing from Trauma and Nervous System Dysregulation

Do you often feel anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally numb and you're not sure why?

Do you find yourself stuck in patterns of people-pleasing, perfectionism, or self-doubt?

Have you experienced a painful event or relationship that still impacts you today, even if it happened years ago?

Do you struggle to trust others, set boundaries, or feel truly safe in your body and relationships?

Do you have physical symptoms like fatigue, chronic pain, or digestive issues that seem tied to emotional stress?

Do you carry a deep sense of shame, fear, or unworthiness that you can't quite explain?

At Embodied Wholeness, your trusted trauma therapy provider in Waxhaw, NC, I specialize in supporting my clients through trauma-informed therapy and somatic therapy to heal from the deep and often invisible wounds of trauma. Trauma isn’t just something that happens to us. It’s what happens inside of us in response to overwhelming events, especially when we didn’t have the support we needed to process what was happening. Trauma is stored in the nervous system, in the body, and in the unconscious protective patterns we carry long after the original event has passed.

Healing Trauma with Somatic Therapy and Nervous System Regulation Therapy

In our work together, we go beyond managing symptoms. We gently reconnect with the parts of you that had to disconnect in order to survive. Whether you’ve experienced developmental trauma, attachment trauma, shock trauma, or relational betrayal, you are not broken. Your body and mind adapted to keep you safe. Now it’s time to heal, reconnect, and thrive with holistic trauma therapy tailored for Waxhaw, NC clients.

Understanding Trauma: More Than Just the Event

Trauma is not defined solely by what happened, but by how your nervous system and body responded to the experience. Two people can go through the same situation—one may feel shaken but recover quickly, while the other may carry long-term symptoms. The difference often lies in how overwhelmed the nervous system became and whether adequate support and repair were available.

At Embodied Wholeness, I provide nervous system regulation therapy that honors the emotional, physical, and energetic aspects of your healing journey through body-based trauma therapy approaches.

Types of Trauma I Work With

1. Developmental & Attachment Trauma

Developmental trauma arises when early relationships with caregivers were inconsistent, neglectful, critical, or unsafe. It often stems from not having our emotional or physical needs met during crucial stages of development. This kind of trauma isn’t always about what happened—it’s often about what didn’t happen: the comfort, validation, and protection we needed but didn’t receive.

Signs of developmental trauma can include chronic self-doubt or low self-worth, people-pleasing or codependency, deep fear of rejection or abandonment, trouble trusting others or setting boundaries, and shame or a sense of not being “enough.” My work with attachment trauma therapy helps clients in Waxhaw, NC heal these early wounds through gentle, attuned connection, nervous system regulation, and reclaiming their voice and sense of self.

2. Shock Trauma & One-Time Events

Shock trauma results from overwhelming events that happen too fast, too suddenly, or too soon for the body and mind to process. Examples include car accidents, medical emergencies, falls or injuries, natural disasters, assault, or violence.

Even if the event is “over,” your nervous system may still be stuck in hypervigilance, freeze, or collapse. You might feel on edge, disconnected, or anxious without understanding why. Healing from shock trauma involves helping your body discharge the energy mobilized during the event using somatic therapy and trauma-informed touch. Together, we restore internal safety and trust in your body’s resilience.

3. Relational & Betrayal Trauma

Relational trauma occurs when people we depended on for safety also caused harm—emotional or physical abuse, chronic criticism, manipulation, infidelity, gaslighting, emotional neglect, or parentification/growing up too fast.

This trauma profoundly impacts how you connect with yourself and others. You may find yourself in repeated relationship patterns that feel unsafe or unsatisfying. You might fear closeness yet feel lonely. Or you may not even recognize your own needs. In trauma therapy in Waxhaw NC, we slowly untangle these wounds to restore your connection to yourself, your inner truth, and your capacity to experience love, trust, and interdependence in relationships.

The Nervous System & Trauma: The Heart of Healing

Your nervous system is central to both trauma and healing. Traumatic experiences activate survival responses—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. This is not a choice—it’s an automatic biological reaction meant to protect us. But when these survival responses don’t get to complete, or when they become chronic, we stay stuck in patterns of dysregulation.

Symptoms of nervous system dysregulation include anxiety or chronic worry, panic attacks, depression, insomnia, fatigue, digestive issues, chronic pain, feeling disconnected or “not in your body, or emotional reactivity/shutting down

I use somatic therapies, such as Transforming Touch® to help your body feel safe again, so that healing isn’t just cognitive—it’s cellular. You don’t need to re-live your trauma to heal from it. In fact, much of our work is about learning how to feel present, grounded, and connected again, at a pace that feels safe for your system.

Common Behaviors and Symptoms of Trauma

Trauma can manifest in countless ways. You might not always recognize your struggles as being rooted in trauma—but your body knows. Some common ways trauma shows up:

• Perfectionism or overachievement: Trying to stay in control to feel safe

• Hyper-independence: Believing it’s not safe to rely on others

• People-pleasing: Basing your worth on others’ approval

• Chronic guilt or shame: Feeling like you’re “too much” or “not enough”

• Emotional numbing: Not feeling much at all, even when you want to

• Addictive patterns: Using food, work, substances, or relationships to cope

• Difficulty trusting: In relationships, or even trusting yourself

All of these are adaptations. They were once necessary for survival. In therapy, we honor those protective parts while gently creating new possibilities—ones rooted in safety, connection, and wholeness.

Trauma Therapy Services at Embodied Wholeness, Waxhaw NC

Healing trauma isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about returning to the truth of who you are underneath the pain and protective patterns. It’s about becoming more connected to your body, your needs, your boundaries, your voice, and your power.

At Embodied Wholeness, I integrate:

• Somatic therapy and body-based practices to regulate the nervous system

• Attachment repair and inner child work to heal early relational wounds

• Transforming Touch® and trauma-informed touch to support early developmental healing

• Parts work and compassionate inquiry to connect with your protective patterns

• Spiritual and energetic healing for clients who desire a holistic approach

You don’t have to go through this alone. You can heal. Your body wants to heal. And when we listen deeply, gently, and consistently—it does.

Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma Therapy

1. Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail to heal it?
Not at all. In fact, talking too much about trauma before your nervous system is ready can re-traumatize rather than help. My approach is gentle, paced, and body-informed. We focus on safety, presence, and connection before diving into any content.

2. How long does trauma therapy take?
There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. Healing trauma is not linear. Some clients feel significant shifts in a few months; for others, it’s a longer journey. I’ll support you at your own pace, with your goals guiding our work. We’ll celebrate each step together.

3. What if I don’t remember everything that happened?
That’s okay. Trauma often impacts memory—especially early or developmental trauma. You don’t need to remember everything to heal. Your body remembers, and we work gently with your body’s signals to support your healing.

4. Can trauma therapy help with physical symptoms or chronic illness?
Yes. Many physical symptoms—like chronic fatigue, autoimmune issues, gut problems, or pain—have roots in unresolved trauma and nervous system dysregulation. While therapy doesn’t replace medical care, it can be an essential part of holistic healing.

5. Is it normal to feel worse before I feel better?
Sometimes, yes—but not always. As you begin to slow down and feel more, old emotions or memories may surface. But you’re not alone! We’ll move through it together, with tools, safety, and compassion. Feeling more is part of healing, but it’s done in a way that is titrated and never overwhelming.

You Are Not Too Broken to Heal — Trauma Therapy in Waxhaw, NC

Trauma may have shaped your story, but it doesn’t have to define your future. Healing is possible, no matter how long it’s been, no matter how disconnected you feel. At Embodied Wholeness, I hold space for all parts of you—with tenderness, skill, and deep respect.

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. When you're ready, I’m here.

Let’s begin your journey back to yourself.