the path to empowering your future
Trauma can affect your life in many ways such as influencing your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. At Element Counseling, we provide a supportive environment where you can explore and heal from various forms of trauma.
Trusted Trauma Therapist in Cleveland
Healing from Trauma Is Possible & You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
Many of my clients are navigating the effects of a kind of trauma that isn’t always visible or widely recognized, like vicarious trauma from caregiving roles, religious or spiritual harm, emotional abuse, or relational wounds from past connections. They often come in feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure why certain struggles keep resurfacing. Together, we work to create safety, gain clarity, and begin meaningful healing.
Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious (or secondary) trauma refers to the emotional and psychological impact experienced by individuals exposed to the traumatic experiences of others.
This occurs when someone, often a professional such as a therapist, social worker, medical professional or emergency responder, repeatedly hears or witnesses the trauma experienced by others, leading to changes in their worldview, emotional state, and behavior.
Over time, this can lead to symptoms similar to those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion. It differs from burnout in that it is directly related to exposure to another person’s trauma rather than the stress or fatigue from work.
Through therapy, individuals impacted by vicarious trauma can begin to untangle the emotional weight they carry, reconnect with their own well-being, and rebuild a sense of resilience.
Religious Trauma
Growing up in a strict or controlling religious environment can cause deep emotional wounds, including feelings of shame, loss of control, and confusion about your identity. These experiences often leave lasting scars that affect your self-worth, relationships, and sense of belonging.
We offer a safe, nonjudgmental space to validate your experiences and gently explore and challenge limiting beliefs. Together, we will focus on processing grief and loss, fostering new sources of support, and empowering you to reclaim your autonomy and build a fulfilling, authentic life.
Relational Trauma
Relational trauma refers to the emotional and psychological wounds that result from harmful or inconsistent relationships, especially with caregivers, partners, or trusted figures.
This type of trauma often develops over time and can stem from emotional neglect, manipulation, betrayal, abuse, or chronic invalidation. Unlike a single traumatic event, relational trauma is usually ongoing and can deeply affect a person’s sense of safety, self-worth, and ability to trust others.
Healing from relational trauma in therapy involves rebuilding connection, setting boundaries, and learning to feel safe in relationships again.
Less Obvious Trauma
Not all trauma comes from life-threatening events. Ongoing stress, difficult family dynamics, divorce, attachment wounds, or emotionally invalidating environments can also be deeply distressing, particularly when they accumulate over time. These experiences may not always be recognized as trauma, but they can still leave you feeling anxious, stuck, or disconnected from yourself and others.
At Element Counseling, we hold space for these less visible wounds. Together, we work to understand how they’ve shaped you, process your emotions, and support your healing in a way that feels empowering and compassionate.
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma refers to the emotional and psychological impact of repeated or long-term exposure to traumatic experiences, often during childhood. This can include emotional neglect, physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, or unpredictable caregiving. Unlike a single traumatic event, complex trauma typically involves ongoing harm in relationships where a person should feel safe. It can lead to difficulties with trust, self-worth, emotional regulation, and forming healthy relationships.
Therapy for complex trauma focuses on creating safety, building coping tools, and gently working through painful patterns to support long-term healing.
Assault & Emotional Abuse
Assault and emotional abuse can leave deep, lasting impacts on your sense of safety, self-worth, and relationships. Emotional abuse, like manipulation, criticism, or control, can be hard to recognize but just as harmful as physical violence. These experiences may lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and difficulty trusting others.
We will focus on helping you process what you've been through, set healthy boundaries, and rebuild a stronger sense of self in a safe, supportive space.
Learn about our approach
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Sensitivity to Trauma History - We ensure that all interactions are aware of and respectful of your past experiences. This means we are always considerate of your needs and boundaries, creating a safe space for you to explore your trauma without fear of re-traumatization.
Supportive Environment - Our approach focuses on building trust and making you feel comfortable and understood. We acknowledge the impact of trauma on your life and aim to provide a nurturing environment where you can heal at your own pace.
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Processing Trauma - CBT practice challenges you to look at and act against those negative thinking patterns that come to the realization of your traumas. Through altering those cognitive schemas, you make it possible to recondition your emotions and behaviors.
Developing Coping Strategies - We work with you to develop practical coping strategies that can help you manage stress and anxiety. These strategies can include relaxation techniques, problem-solving skills, and ways to break the cycle of negative thinking.
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Reducing Trauma Intensity -EMDR Therapy is a specialized therapy that helps process and diminish the emotional intensity of traumatic memories. It involves guided eye movements that are believed to help the brain reprocess traumatic experiences, making them less vivid and distressing.
Long-term Relief - Over time, EMDR can help make traumatic memories less distressing, allowing you to integrate these experiences into your life narrative in a way that feels less overwhelming.
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Emotion Regulation - DBT provides tools to help you regulate intense emotions. This can be especially useful if you experience strong feelings of anger, sadness, or anxiety as a result of trauma.
Interpersonal Effectiveness - DBT also focuses on improving your relationships with others. You’ll learn skills for assertive communication, setting healthy boundaries, and maintaining balanced relationships.
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Our trauma therapy recognizes that trauma is not only stored in the mind but also held in the body. We incorporate body-based techniques like grounding, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation to release physical tension and support emotional healing. Self-soothing strategies help you manage intense emotions and restore a sense of safety, offering a comprehensive, body-centered approach to trauma recovery.
