You are not what’s happened to you
Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI
Break Free From Survival Mode and Be More Than “Fine”
It can feel like your body never fully relaxes, even when nothing is obviously wrong. You move through your days getting things done, showing up where you’re needed, and doing what’s expected. Underneath, there’s a constant sense of tension. At times, it might feel like your mind is scattered and foggy, while your body is either on high alert or completely shut down. You might not remember the last time you felt truly at ease.
Maybe you’ve noticed moments where you lose track of time or feel disconnected, like you’re watching yourself go through the motions. Other times, your system feels stuck on high alert; easily startled, scanning for problems, or bracing for something to go wrong. Sleep can be restless, and emotions can feel hard to access or control. It may feel like you’re either feeling too much or nothing at all. You just want your mind and body to feel more settled, not on edge or shut down.
Perhaps You’ve Learned How to Cope By Staying Busy, Overthinking, or Taking Care of Everyone Else.
You might be highly observant, sensitive to shifts in tone or mood, and careful about how you show up in relationships. Not to mention, you work hard to keep things steady and avoid conflict. You do this even when it comes at the expense of your own needs. From the outside, it may look like you’re doing “fine,” but inside, it feels exhausting to keep holding it all together. If only you didn’t have to work so hard just to feel like yourself again.
I want you to know that these patterns are not your fault. They are powerful strategies your nervous system developed to protect you. At Forward Outlook Counseling, I offer Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI, as a supportive space to slow down and gently understand these responses without judgment. Together, we can help you begin to feel more at home in your own body and your relationships. By working with a compassionate trauma therapist, you can discover how to move out of survival mode and toward a life where you feel more grounded, connected, and truly able to be yourself. This isn't just about functioning, it's about thriving.
Trauma Focused Therapy can help.
It’s time to feel empowered in being yourself.
How do i know if i have trauma?
Many people wonder whether what they’ve experienced “counts” as trauma. Trauma doesn’t always come from a single, obvious event. For some, it develops over time through ongoing stress, emotional neglect, unsafe relationships, or feeling chronically unseen or unsupported. You might not identify with the word trauma, yet still notice patterns in your thoughts, emotions, or body that feel difficult to explain or manage.
Trauma often shows up in both emotional and physical ways. You may recognize some of the following experiences in yourself.
Emotional and psychological symptoms can include:
Feeling shocked, numb, or disconnected from your emotions
Difficulty concentrating, confusion, or feeling scattered
Anger, irritability, or sudden mood shifts
Ongoing anxiety or fear, even when things seem “fine”
Guilt, shame, or self-blame
Withdrawing from others or struggling to trust
Feeling sad, hopeless, or emotionally flat
Physical symptoms can include:
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or frequent nightmares
Fatigue or feeling drained, even after rest
Being easily startled or constantly on edge
Racing heartbeat or a sense of agitation
Muscle tension, aches, or unexplained physical discomfort
You don’t need to relate to every symptom for trauma to be present. For many people, these responses are signs of a nervous system that learned how to survive difficult or overwhelming experiences. Trauma therapy in Lansing, MI, can help you make sense of these patterns with care and without judgment. It offers a safe space to better understand what your body and mind have been carrying.
What Does Trauma Therapy Involve?
Trauma therapy offers space to understand how past experiences are still shaping the way you think, feel, and move through the world today. For many people, trauma isn’t just something that happened in the past. It lives in the body, in patterns of self-doubt, emotional shutdown, hypervigilance, or feeling stuck in survival mode. Therapy focuses on helping you feel safer and more regulated, rather than pushing you to revisit experiences before you’re ready.
The process begins by building a sense of safety and trust. We take the time to understand what you’re struggling with now. This may include anxiety, difficulty setting boundaries, emotional numbness, people-pleasing, or feeling disconnected from yourself or others. Together, we explore how these patterns may have developed as ways to cope or protect yourself. You are not the problem. These responses often made sense at one point, even if they no longer feel helpful.
Trauma Therapy is Collaborative and Paced Around What Feels Manageable For You.
Some sessions may focus on increasing awareness of triggers and emotional responses. Others may involve learning ways to regulate your nervous system, cope with distress, or respond differently in relationships. When helpful, I draw from trauma-informed approaches such as person-centered therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and mindfulness-based strategies. Tools are introduced thoughtfully and only when they feel supportive, not overwhelming.
Over time, trauma therapy can help you begin to feel more grounded and confident in yourself. Many people notice it becomes easier to recognize and manage emotions, communicate boundaries, and express needs without as much fear or self-doubt. Therapy can provide a safe space to explore feelings like shame or guilt and understand where negative beliefs about yourself originated. It also helps you work toward greater self-acceptance and compassion. With patience and support, it’s possible to move out of survival mode and feel more secure, connected, and empowered in being yourself.
I Want to Help You Move Out of Survival Mode
At Forward Outlook Counseling, I work with women and college students who are capable, thoughtful, and often doing a lot to hold things together. You may be successful on paper, deeply caring in your relationships, and highly attuned to the people around you. Yet, you still feel stuck, guarded, or unsure why certain patterns keep repeating. Many people I work with carry the weight of everyone else’s needs on their shoulders.
Often, you have learned to put others first, even when it leaves you feeling drained or disconnected from your own heart. Sometimes, you might hesitate to speak your truth because you’re afraid of disappointing the people you love. This pressure to stay strong, responsible, or emotionally steady can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes at a personal cost. If this resonates, please know that you deserve to feel connected to yourself, too.
Understanding Patterns That Keep You Stuck
In our work together, I help you begin to make sense of these patterns with compassion and without judgment. That might mean understanding why people-pleasing feels automatic or why rest feels uncomfortable. It could also mean exploring why certain relationships feel so emotionally draining. Often, these patterns developed for understandable reasons; they were ways to cope, stay safe, or maintain connection. Together, we focus on helping you feel more confident expressing your needs and setting healthy boundaries. You deserve to trust your instincts and feel empowered, especially if you’ve spent years prioritizing others or taking on the role of “the strong one.”
My role isn’t to tell you who to be or how fast to change, but to offer steady support as you reconnect with yourself in ways that feel genuine and sustainable. Over time, many people begin to feel more grounded in their body and more confident in their relationships. They often notice they’re less driven by fear or self-doubt. Moving out of survival mode can mean feeling more present, more aligned, and more able to show up as yourself. This isn't because you’re trying harder, but because things finally feel safer.
What Trauma Therapy Looks Like With Me
Trauma work can look different for everyone, which is why I don’t follow a rigid structure or timeline. At Forward Outlook Counseling, my approach is guided by listening closely to you, not just to what you say, but to what feels hard to name. We start by understanding what you’re experiencing now and noticing what tends to trigger these patterns. Then, we build awareness around what helps you feel more regulated and supported. I also pay attention to what your body is signaling and what pace feels sustainable. Many people I work with are used to pushing through or minimizing their own needs.
Therapy becomes a place where we can slow things down and begin rebuilding a sense of safety and choice. Trust is central to trauma healing. I focus on creating a consistent, predictable space where you don’t have to perform, explain yourself, or get it “right.” Clients often tell me it feels relieving to not be rushed or pressured in sessions. We pay attention to moments when things feel activating, overwhelming, or shut down. Instead of working against those responses, we approach them gently.
You Remain in Control of What We Explore and When
Especially if vulnerability hasn’t always felt safe in the past. When it is supportive, I integrate trauma-informed approaches into our sessions. These can include Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and mindfulness-based practices. These tools are used thoughtfully, with attention to regulation and readiness, rather than as techniques to push through distress. The focus isn’t on reliving the past, but on helping your nervous system feel steadier in the present.
Over time, trauma therapy often supports subtle but meaningful shifts. You may feel more grounded in your body, more trusting of your internal cues, and more confident responding to situations that once felt overwhelming. Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI is not about fixing you. It’s about creating space where healing can happen, at a pace that honors your experience, your resilience, and your sense of agency.
Frequently asked questions about trauma therapy
Trauma therapy can bring up a lot of questions, especially if you’re not sure whether what you’ve experienced “counts” as trauma or what therapy might actually feel like. Many people worry about having to relive painful memories, losing control, or being pushed before they’re ready. The questions below reflect common concerns I often hear from people considering Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI. They are meant to offer you clarity and reassurance as you explore whether this supportive path feels right for you.
FAQs
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I work with people who have experienced a wide range of traumatic and distressing experiences. I support individuals who have walked through the pain of emotional or narcissistic abuse, sexual assault, or childhood neglect. This includes the unique challenges of growing up with caregivers who were emotionally unavailable, struggling with mental illness, or facing addiction. I also work with traumatic grief, relational trauma such as infidelity or high-conflict divorce, religious or spiritual trauma, and attachment trauma.
Trauma doesn’t have to come from a single event. Many people I work with have experienced relational or “little t” trauma that accumulated over time. Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI offers space to understand how these experiences continue to impact you now, regardless of how long ago they occurred.
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The goal of trauma therapy is not to erase the past, but to help it hold less power over your present. Trauma therapy focuses on increasing safety, emotional regulation, and self-understanding so you can respond to life with more choice rather than survival-based reactions. Over time, this work can help reduce symptoms like hypervigilance, emotional numbness, shame, or fear, while creating space for self-compassion, connection, and confidence. Trauma therapy is about helping life feel more manageable and meaningful — not just functional.
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It’s very common to wonder whether therapy will actually help, especially if trauma-related patterns have been part of your life for a long time. Trauma therapy isn’t about quick fixes or forcing change. Progress often shows up in small but meaningful ways, such as feeling more grounded, recovering more quickly after triggers, or gaining clarity around patterns that once felt confusing. Many people notice increased self-trust, improved boundaries, and a greater sense of safety over time. Working with a trauma therapist in Lansing, MI allows therapy to adapt as your needs change, supporting growth at a pace that feels sustainable.
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As a trauma therapist, my role is to create a steady, supportive space where you feel safe enough to explore difficult experiences without being overwhelmed. I help you notice patterns, connect past experiences to present struggles, and develop tools that support regulation and self-trust. I also pay close attention to pacing, boundaries, and consent, especially if vulnerability hasn’t always felt safe. My role isn’t to tell you what to do, but to support you as you reconnect with yourself in ways that feel respectful and empowering.
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Trauma-informed therapy recognizes that many behaviors, emotions, and patterns developed as ways to survive difficult experiences. Rather than pathologizing these responses, trauma-informed care validates them while helping you build new ways of feeling safe and supported. This approach prioritizes emotional and physical safety, collaboration, and empowerment. At Forward Outlook Counseling, trauma-informed therapy means honoring your pace, respecting your boundaries, and keeping you in control of your healing process.
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My work is grounded in a person-centered, trauma-informed approach. When helpful, I integrate talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to support healing and reduce trauma-related symptoms. These approaches are used flexibly rather than as a strict formula. Therapy always moves at your pace, with attention to emotional safety, regulation, and readiness. I also continue to deepen my trauma training, including introductory work with Internal Family Systems (IFS) and ongoing learning around somatic approaches.
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When you’re ready to begin Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI, the first step is reaching out to me at sarah@forwardoutlookcounseling.com or completing the contact form. We’ll start with an initial consultation to make sure we’re a good fit and to answer any questions you may have. If we move forward, you’ll receive a link to complete initial paperwork, and then we’ll schedule your first session, either in person or virtually. From there, we focus on what feels most important for you as we begin working together.
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At Forward Outlook Counseling, trauma therapy provides a space to slow down and feel supported. It helps you begin making sense of experiences that may have shaped how safe you feel in your body and relationships. If you’re considering Trauma Therapy in Lansing, MI, this work is not about pushing through memories or rushing toward change. It’s about creating enough stability and trust to gently understand what you’ve been carrying, and what you need now.
Many people begin trauma therapy unsure of where to start or what to share. That’s okay. You don’t need to have your story organized or know whether what you experienced “counts” as trauma. Working with a trauma therapist in Lansing, MI can begin with simply talking about what feels hard to manage, what feels stuck, or what no longer feels sustainable. Over time, therapy becomes a place where safety, clarity, and self-trust can slowly grow. If it feels right to take the next step, you’re welcome to begin in a way that feels manageable:
Reach out by email or through the contact form to schedule an initial consultation
Learn more about me and how I approach trauma-focused work
Begin therapy in a space where you don’t have to push yourself or explain more than feels safe
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Trauma therapy is one area of focus at Forward Outlook Counseling, but it’s not the only kind of support available. Many people find that different concerns come into focus at different points in their lives, and therapy can shift as your needs change. What feels most important to work on now may evolve over time, and that’s a natural part of the process.
In addition to trauma-focused work, I also offer specialized support through therapy for women and college students in Lansing, MI. You don't have to navigate concerns related to anxiety, relationships, narcissistic abuse, and ongoing emotional stress alone; I am here to walk beside you. These areas often overlap, and therapy is not limited to just one topic. We work with what’s showing up for you, allowing the focus to adapt as awareness grows or life circumstances change.
There’s no single path or timeline for healing, and support doesn’t need to look the same for everyone. You’re welcome to explore services that feel aligned with where you are right now; emotionally, relationally, and within the rhythms of your daily life. Therapy is meant to meet you where you are and adjust as your needs and goals continue to take shape.