PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES
Complex PTSD Therapy
Compassionate, Expert Complex PTSD Therapist
Rebuild Trust and Safety and go from Surviving to Thriving
If you have experienced the life-altering effects of prolonged relational and childhood trauma, you are not alone. As a Complex PTSD Therapist, I understand that developmental trauma often steals away a person’s sense of vitality and quality of life, leaving them with a pervasive sense of disconnection and alienation, believing they are broken and don't belong and feeling as though they are living on autopilot, merely existing rather than truly living.
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I help adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect reconnect with their sense of aliveness and joy. I provide a safe, compassionate, relational therapeutic space where they can gradually engage with their emotions, access the wisdom of their body, heal traumatic wounds, and learn to reclaim their sense of self, true living, and vitality.
Understanding Complex PTSD: Your Path back to belonging
Growing up in dysfunctional or neglectful families, or under the care of emotionally immature parents with their own mental or physical health challenges, can leave deep psychological wounds. Complex PTSD (CPTSD) is a condition that develops from prolonged and repeated exposure to relational trauma such as chronic abuse, invalidation, or long-term neglect.
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Our early caregiver relationships are supposed to show us that we are inherently good and lovable inside. When our caregivers are distant, abusive, critical, neglectful, has persistent emotional outbursts, or for whatever reason, are unable to provide the nurturing and safety that we need, as children we may interpret this to mean that the abuse is our fault.​
This can leave us feeling we have a deep stain on our psyche. Believing we are unworthy of love, there is something wrong with us or that relationships are unsafe, can manifest in chronic depression, anxiety and nervous system challenges, chronic perfectionism, feelings of insecurity, low self-worth, and a pervasive sense of distrust in self and others.
It may be hard to believe that we are truly lovable and our adult relationships can become strained. There can be difficulties forming healthy relationships and a struggle to feel a sense of belonging leading to social isolation.​
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As an experienced, expert Complex PTSD Therapist, I can help you in regain a sense of safety, heal emotional wounds, rewrite your self story, learn that you are worthy of love and deserve joy and connection.
“The darkest nights produce the brightest stars.”
~ Khalil Gibran ~
The Cost of Feeling Unloved: Symptoms of Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) can manifest through a range of symptoms, which may vary in intensity. Here are some common symptoms:
Emotional Dysregulation: Difficulty managing emotions, intense feelings of anger, sadness, or anxiety, overly alert or easily startled, often on edge or tense.
Avoidance behaviours: Steering clear of reminders of the trauma, including people, places, or activities.
Negative Mood: Persistent feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, feeling emotionally dead inside—numb, empty, and exhausted.
Feeling detached or dissociated: feeling as though you are merely existing rather than truly living, detached from oneself or reality, memory gaps related to the trauma, living with a pseudo-aliveness mask appearing overly enthusiastic or expressive, yet is often a facade that masks an underlying disconnection.
Relationships Struggles - difficulty experiencing the warmth and enjoyment in relationships, trust issues, fear of intimacy, sense of non-belonging and isolation.
Self-Destructive Strategies: risky behaviours, self-harm, overeating, over-consuming and addictions.
Chronic Physical Symptoms: Unexplained physical issues such as pain, fatigue, or gastrointestinal problems, chronic conditions caused stress and hypervigilance.
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​Intrusive Memories: Recurrent, unwanted memories or flashbacks of traumatic events.
Diminished Sense of Self: Struggles with identity and a feeling disconnected from oneself, struggling with chronic shame and a belief that they do not deserve to take up space or be fully alive.
Reduced joy or pleasure in life: In environments where abuse, neglect or severe invalidation is prevalent, it becomes unsafe for children to fully engage with life and expressing joy, playfulness, or simply being a child can feel dangerous. As a result, individuals learn to keep pleasurable feelings dissociatively separated to protect themselves, leading to a profound disconnection from their life force and energy.
"Throughout our lives we develop ways to cope and protect ourselves. That is a very smart thing to do, especially if we have had hard experiences. Even though you may feel lost from your self, it never went away. We just need to clear the path."
~ Carly Goodfellow ~
Reviving Your Spirit: Rebuilding Connection and Vitality After Trauma
​As a survivor, you might find it challenging to make and sustain friendships or to feel secure in your relationships. You may experience persistent hypervigilance, making it hard to trust others. It’s not uncommon to find yourself drawn to emotionally unavailable or abusive individuals, perpetuating cycles of pain. Together we help you build trust, form secure friendships break cycles of seeking unhealthy relationships.
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You might struggle with feelings of loneliness, isolation, and a sense of living on the outskirts of your own life. You might struggle with believing you truly belong or feel convinced that you are socially excluded. Together we will pave a way for you to reclaim your birthright of belonging and meaningful connections.​
You might experience low self-worth or feel fundamentally different from others, struggling with feelings of shame or guilt, or that there is something wrong with you. Together we will help you build
positive self-image and challenge toxic shame and guilt.
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With effective, research based tools for resolving complex-PTSD, such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR and Relational Psychotherapy, we will find your path to managing intense emotions, improving nervous system regulation and process and reconsolidate trauma memories.
You can experience more stability, inner self-compassion, feeling in control of your life and a renewed hope and overall outlook on life and relationships.
"The truth is you are not broken. Deep within you there is a wise, force of light; a inherent goodness that is indestructible. At any moment, you can expand again and come to see you were always worthy and that you belong."
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~ Carly Goodfellow ~
Supportive, strength-based
treatment for childhood trauma
Help is available and you do not need to struggle with this all on your own. I offer a free online meet and greet to get a feel for how I work and ask any questions you may have.
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I also have created trauma informed hypnosis experiences, resources and tools to support your recovery. Check out my offerings here.
Contact me today to book a session. I look forward to meeting with you.