Putting the pieces in order.

Traumatic memories are often stored in fragments: an image, a sound, a feeling with no context. A trauma narrative pulls those fragments into a story with a beginning, middle and end, including what you thought and felt at the time and what you understand now.

It is part of several evidence-based approaches, including trauma-focused CBT and narrative exposure therapy. Done carefully, it reduces the intensity of the memory and gives you back authorship of your own history.

We only start once you have tools to stay grounded. You can write, speak or draw the narrative, and we build it over several sessions, a little at a time. We stop and regulate whenever we need to. The goal is integration, not reliving.

• Childhood trauma with patchy or confusing memories
• People who keep "telling the story" to themselves without it settling
• People who want to make sense of their history, not just manage symptoms

Sessions are $180 for 60 minutes after a $200 initial assessment. I am in network with Anthem, Aetna and United through Alma, and provide superbills for other plans. See all fees.