How do I know if I have complex PTSD?

Complex PTSD often shows up in ways that aren’t always immediately recognized as trauma.

You might notice:

• A persistent feeling that something is wrong with you

• Difficulty trusting yourself or your emotions

• Feeling overwhelmed, reactive, or emotionally shut down

• Acting out when upset and then feeling shame for how you behaved

• Patterns in relationships that involve a lack of trust and fear of judgment

• A sense of being “too much” or “not enough”

Many people I work with in Marin, California initially come in with these experiences without realizing they are connected to Complex PTSD.

If you’re unsure, therapy can help you better understand whether this framework fits your experience.

What is trauma therapy and how does it work?

Trauma therapy focuses on understanding how past experiences have shaped your current patterns—especially in your nervous system, emotions, and relationships.

Rather than just managing symptoms, trauma therapy helps you:

• Understand why you feel and respond the way you do

• Process unresolved emotional experiences

• Build a sense of internal safety

• Develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself

• Feel more confident when interacting with others

If you’re looking for trauma therapy, either in Marin or anywhere in California, this work is often deeper and more relational than traditional talk therapy.

How is Complex PTSD different from anxiety or ADHD?

Complex PTSD can overlap with symptoms of anxiety or ADHD, which is why it’s often misdiagnosed.

For example:

• Difficulty focusing may be related to nervous system overwhelm

• Anxiety may be rooted in feeling unsafe or hyper-aware

• Emotional reactivity may come from past relational experiences

The difference is that complex PTSD focuses on the underlying cause, not just the symptoms.

Understanding this can change how therapy works and what actually helps.

Can trauma therapy help if I’ve already been in therapy before?

Yes. Many people seek trauma therapy after trying other forms of therapy that didn’t fully address the root of what they were experiencing. Because C-PTSD is a new way of understanding mental health, many clinicians can actually provide harmful interventions out of a lack of insight. For example, I have worked with many people that have been encouraged by their former therapists to "imagine putting their worries onto a leaf and then imagine the leaf floating away." This is actually the opposite of what we need to do for Complex PTSD. We need to learn to have curiosity about our unpleasant thoughts in order to learn how to process them so that they are no longer bothersome interruptions throughout one's day.

You may have gained insight but still feel stuck in:

• The same emotional patterns

• The same relationship dynamics

• The same internal beliefs about yourself

Trauma therapy focuses on working at the level those patterns were created, which often leads to deeper and more lasting change.

What if I don’t have “obvious” trauma?

This is very common.

Trauma isn’t only about extreme or clearly identifiable events. It can also come from:

• Emotional neglect

• Inconsistent or unpredictable caregiving

• Feeling misunderstood or unsupported over time

Many people who seek trauma therapy describe their upbringing as “fine” but still feel the lasting impact internally. My clients often come to therapy worrying that they are blaming their parents unfairly, or they compare themselves to others that had a harder childhood experience.

What matters is if an individual is suffering. It doesn't matter how severe their experiences have been, only that they are carrying emotional wounds that interfere with their quality of life.

If your experience affected how you relate to yourself or others, it’s worth exploring.

Feeling like a burden is often connected to early experiences where your needs, feelings, or presence didn’t feel fully welcomed or supported.

Over time, this can become a core belief:
“My needs are too much.”

In Complex PTSD, this belief can shape how you show up in relationships. You may over-apologize, hide your needs, or feel guilty for wanting support.

Trauma therapy can help you understand where this belief came from and begin relating to yourself with more compassion.

Why do I shut down emotionally?

Emotional shutdown is often a nervous system response to overwhelm.

When something feels too intense, unsafe, or emotionally threatening, your system may protect you by disconnecting, going numb, or becoming quiet.

This is common in Complex PTSD, especially for people who learned early on that expressing emotions wasn’t safe or welcome.

Trauma therapy can help you understand this response and build more capacity to stay connected to yourself in difficult moments.

How long does trauma therapy take?

There isn’t a fixed timeline.

Trauma therapy is often a gradual process that focuses on:

• Building safety

• Developing awareness

• Shifting long-standing patterns

Some people begin to notice changes relatively quickly, while deeper work unfolds over time.

The pace is collaborative and tailored to you.

What is your approach to trauma therapy?

My approach is:

• Trauma-informed and non-pathologizing

• Focused on understanding patterns rather than labeling them

• Grounded in helping you develop awareness, safety, and self-compassion

I work with many clients who are high-functioning externally but struggling internally, especially with patterns related to Complex PTSD.

Therapy will feel like having conversations. I will learn about your personality and goals. I will help provide insights that can help to ease suffering from shame, fear and isolation. This is done gradually by developing insight into why you think and feel the way you do - what experiences have informed you and where you may have blinders that contribute to a feeling of being stuck and helpless.

Do you offer trauma therapy for clients in Marin, California?

Yes. I provide trauma therapy for adults, teens and families in Marin, California who are looking to better understand themselves and shift long-standing emotional and relational patterns.

If you’re looking for a clinician near you who specializes in Complex PTSD, this work can help you begin to make sense of what you’re experiencing.

How do I get started?

If this resonates, the next step is to reach out.

You can contact me to learn more about trauma therapy or schedule a consultation to see if this feels like a good fit.