Trauma Therapy In Pembroke Pines, FL and online
Written by Karli Gallo, LMHC | EMDR-Certified Therapist | Pembroke Pines, FL
Trauma has a way of staying with you long after the experience itself has passed. It shows up in your body, your relationships, your sense of safety, and the way you see yourself. Whether you experienced a single traumatic event or a lifetime of difficult experiences, the effects are real and they deserve real treatment.
At Unbound Psychotherapy, I offer trauma therapy and PTSD treatment using EMDR and a deeply relational approach, working not just with what happened but with how it lives in you now. Therapy is available in-person in Pembroke Pines, FL and online throughout Florida.
What can trauma therapy help with?
Trauma therapy can help with all aspects of the effects of going through a traumatic event:
Reducing distress from memories, nightmares, or triggers
No longer thinking about the traumatic event on a regular basis
Reducing negative thoughts about yourself, or shame
Reducing guilt or self-blame
Improving self-esteem and sense of self-worth
Recognizing how the trauma affected you and your relationships
Feeling confident in setting clear boundaries
Feeling “lighter” or “free”
What if I don’t remember everything?
Difficulty remembering parts or sometimes all of a traumatic experience is quite common. In trauma therapy, we work with what you do remember. The goal is not to force you to remember, create a story, or “uncover repressed memories.” The goal is to:
Decrease distress from memories that you do remember
Support you if you do remember something new
Provide a safe and caring space for you to process as much or as little as you want
Provide EMDR, an evidenced-based trauma treatment, when you’re ready
Trauma therapy meets you where you’re at. Never forcing, never blaming, but working with what you do remember in a safe environment.
How does trauma affect men?
Trauma can affect men just as much as it can women. But the way symptoms are expressed is often quite different and based on social expectations. Men are often affected by trauma in these ways:
“Pushing through” difficult emotions or pain
Experiencing intense anger or irritability
Experiencing emotional numbness or withdrawal
Coping by overworking or substance use
Symptoms outwardly appearing as stress, burnout, or anger
Fear of telling others what happened to you
Many men have never told anyone about their experiences before starting therapy. Therapy provides a confidential and safe space, at your time and pace, to heal from trauma.
How does trauma affect women?
Trauma can affect women in many different ways, including:
Chronic anxiety, panic, and overwhelm
Not feeling safe at home or other spaces that we’d like to feel safe
Feeling disconnected from others or from yourself
Seeking relief via eating disorder behaviors, self-harm, or substance use
Repeating unhealthy relationship dynamics
Low self-worth or thoughts of shame
Minimizing your experience or comparing your experiences to others who “had it worse”
Neglecting your emotional wellbeing and prioritizing others
Many women know exactly what happened to them. What's harder is finding a space where it can finally be addressed, without judgment, without minimizing, and without having to hold it alone.
What is PTSD?
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) can develop after one or multiple traumatic experiences. Common symptoms include:
Flashbacks or intrusive memories of the traumatic event
Nightmares related to the trauma
Hypervigilance (feeling constantly on guard or easily startled)
Emotional numbness or feeling detached from others
Avoiding people, places, or situations that are reminders of the trauma
Negative beliefs about yourself or the world ("I am broken," "nowhere is safe")
Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
Irritability or angry outbursts
Anxiety and depression
Physical symptoms like headaches, nausea, or a racing heart
It is important to note that a PTSD diagnosis also requires that these symptoms significantly impact your ability to function in relationships, work, school, or daily life.
What is C-PTSD?
C-PTSD (Complex-PTSD) typically develops from prolonged, inescapable trauma such as ongoing childhood abuse, domestic violence, repeated neglect, or other sustained harmful experiences. Symptoms include everything seen in PTSD, plus:
Changes to personality or identity
Chronic feelings of worthlessness, shame or guilt
Extreme mood swings, persistent sadness, or explosive anger
Significant struggles with trust or maintaining relationships
Feeling “different” from others, feeling damaged, or helpless
Chronic dissociation
More severe or frequent flashbacks
If you believe you have C-PTSD, it is important to seek trauma therapy from a clinician you feel is trustworthy, relational, and wholly present with you. Hurt happens in relationships, and therefore healing must happen in relationships. The therapeutic relationship can be a catalyst for profound change and healing.