Trauma Therapy

With Tracy Douglas: Your GenX Therapist in Janesville, WI, and Online Across Wisconsin and Texas

From Pain to Power: Your Journey to Healing Starts Now

Trauma is an insidious shadow lurking in the fabric of your being, staining your experiences with confusion, pain, and fear.

Trauma counseling helps with Big T and little t trauma.

Healing isn’t just about addressing the pain; it’s about reclaiming your life.

Maybe you’ve lived through the gut-wrenching agony of Big T Trauma—those life-altering events like abuse, accidents, or loss. Or perhaps you’ve endured the quieter, persistent ache of little t trauma— subtle, cumulative hurts from daily life that have happened in the past or are currently taking place.

Whether it’s the former or the latter, (and many times it’s both) there’s a formula that overwhelm + isolation = trauma.

Trauma is a burden that’s far too heavy to bear alone.

I’ve walked through the fires of trauma myself and I’m here to be your experienced guide through your own healing journey. As Your GenX Therapist, I offer a sanctuary to acknowledge your pain, honor your story and facilitate your healing and recovery.

What does trauma treatment look like?

Your journey is unique, and so is my approach.

By working with a therapist who excels in treating trauma, (and I do) you get to find freedom, relief, and healing, as your recovery experiences are carefully titrated so you don’t experience overwhelm and retraumatization again. 

Using a blend of proven therapeutic techniques, we’ll work to unravel the knots of your trauma. Whether through focusing on emotions, relationships, mindfulness and somatic practices, we’ll find what resonates with you.

We’ll work on building resilience, finding your inner strength, and rediscovering joy. 

You’ll learn to set boundaries, cultivate self-compassion, and foster healthy relationships that nurture your well-being rather than harm you.

You’ve carried this burden long enough. It’s time to lay it down. Reach out today and schedule your consultation. Let’s transform your pain into power, your trauma into triumph. You deserve to live a life free from the shadows of the past, and together, we can make that a reality.

Let’s transform pain into wisdom so you can live a life of purpose and joy.
Schedule your consultation today.

What happens when trauma and therapy intersect?

Hi. I'm Tracy Douglas - Your GenX Therapist

Little t and Big T. These terms refer to trauma and I’m struck by the thought of how that’s my initial, too, and how I as both little tracy and Big Tracy have endured some pretty awful times.

I’ve experienced physical, emotional, sexual, and verbal abuse perpetrated by others. And I’ve traumatized own myself, too, when I’ve committed moral injuries against myself and those I love because sometimes I’ve acted from my baser nature.

I share all this with you because that’s what my beloved therapist did with me, she let me know she’d been through a lot of shit of her own, and it helped me know that she REALLY understood and that if she made it through, I could, too. And so can you, dear soul.

Success Stories

LL
LL
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I have been in therapy on and off since I was 16 years old. I have actually had so many negative experiences with different therapists in the past, that I had completely lost all trust and belief in the mental health industry as a whole. I felt lost, unheard, unimportant, and most of…., With no hope of gaining a feeling of strength, joy, or sense of self. I have slipped through so many cracks in the system that it is truly by the grace of God that I am still here.

When I was lucky enough to find Tracy, it changed everything for me. She was so different from anyone else I’ve ever had. She has made me feel comfortable and safe enough to be vulnerable and honest. Her positive, gentle, understanding approach has been so inspirational that it has allowed me to understand myself enough to learn and apply helpful techniques and habits to help regulate myself, and to treat myself with grace, love, and understanding. She is also not afraid to call me out when necessary, and her honesty has been very helpful when I find myself falling back into unhealthy patterns that I may unconsciously consider my “comfort zone.”

She is also very real, down to earth, and human. She isn’t afraid to share some of her vulnerabilities that are relatable, and how some similar circumstances may have affected her life then and now, and what she has learned from her experiences. I find it so refreshing to have the relationship we share, as opposed to the cold, unconnected, scripted, and unreliable therapists of my past. I’m used to someone sitting at a desk with a pen and paper, asking the same scripted questions that don’t always match every situation.

In the past, I have not gotten very helpful feedback or insight, I’ve always felt like just “a number,” and I found it very difficult to find someone who STAYS around long enough to actually form a bond in order to come up with a treatment plan specific to me and my situation. We all have our own unique issues, trauma, etc., and we all develop our own ways of coping. We don’t all need the same kind of care. Tracy is so good at adapting her care to fit each individual’s needs, and she shows genuine care and understanding while maintaining professionalism.

Tracy is amazing. She is a true gift to the industry. I’m sure all of her clients would totally agree. She goes above and beyond with her care, making each of us feel worthy, important, and like we matter, when the way most of us have grown up, we were made to feel just the opposite. She has been an absolute godsend to me, and I have come so far in her care. She has been my rock.

CB
CB
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I started seeing Tracy for anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, emotional abuse issues, and parenting struggles. I have tried a few different therapists throughout my 41 years of life but have never find a match. I feel that I've even been burned by some of them. It was very hard to take the leap of faith to try someone new but I'm so grateful that I did. Tracy created an environment that made me feel comfortable to open myself up and talk about hard trauma in my past. I feel safe in our sessions. She was and continues to be extremely patient and trustworthy.

Through my time with Tracy I've made great progress. Load sharing with Tracy and talking through the hard times in my life has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I feel like I can breathe easier, I feel more free, I feel confident moving forward in my life, and it has put a lot of things into perspective for me. I'm so grateful that I have someone like Tracy in my life who I trust.

I would refer Tracy to anyone in need of a therapist. She has helped me tremendously and is a smart, real, trustworthy, down to earth, non-judgmental person. She's an incredible listener and I truly wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for her.

I'm not the best writer but I know people. Tracy Douglas is an amazing person and therapist.

BH
BH
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Mental health is an issue that our society is trying to get better about but still struggles with. Since my initial diagnosis of PTSD, Generalized Anxiety, and a Panic Disorder about a decade ago - in my 40s - I’ve been through several therapists. One who believed that the best thing I could do was keep my disorder hidden from the world and one who I just couldn’t build a rapport with.

When we moved during the pandemic, I put off trying to find another therapist because it is so much work. Who takes my insurance, who has availability, who will I connect with? Thankfully, my husband is a brilliant researcher and found Tracy. From day one, I knew that we would be a good match. Her world experience is relatable, and I have always felt that she isn’t just trying to understand me but that she truly does understand because her road has not been dissimilar. Through this connection, she’s helped me navigate building accommodations at my workplace, finding my artistic place in my world, being a solid parent to my young adult kids, and being an adult child to my aging parents.

Since I began seeing her, I’ve grown in confidence in my ability to own my world. She has been so flexible in trying different therapeutic models to find what works for me and to challenge me while simultaneously respecting my boundaries. While under her care, I have progressed in my ability to handle certain triggering situations and have learned when it is okay to remove myself from situations that I just shouldn’t have to learn to handle. I’ve also been brave enough to try alternative interventions - some that have worked and some that haven’t. Previously, when an intervention failed, I always blamed myself for being so broken. Tracy has helped me see that, like Edison with his lightbulb, failure isn’t an end but just one more thing that isn’t for me.

While not every therapist is a match for every personality type, there are very few people in my world to whom I wouldn’t recommend Tracy. Her desire to understand the whole person and to work from their belief system, boundaries, and needs is unmatched in my experience. I appreciate her methodology of providing me with research from the social and medical communities (as a debate coach, I’m all about the research and why things work the way they do), providing me with additional places to find thoughts that might be helpful to me and her transparent honesty. The client must trust the care provider - in mental health even more so than physical health to ensure that trauma moves toward healing and not additional trauma.

Therapy is—to use the overwrought word—a journey. Sometimes, one needs a GPS giving explicit instructions throughout and sometimes just an occasional reminder to take the 90-degree right instead of the 75-degree right turn. And those needs change as the driver navigates more and less familiar terrain.

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Your own unique pathway to healing and fulfillment waits for you.

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Questions for Those Who Have Experienced Trauma

Click any question to learn more.

Vivid flashbacks during the day can be like lightning strikes from a clear blue sky. And when you try to rest at night, nightmares rip you from your sleep, leaving you drenched in sweat and gasping for air. These unwanted visitors from the past can be debilitating.

There are powerful therapy modalities that can help stop those intrusive flashbacks and nightmares. Let’s work together to silence those echoes of pain and overwhelm from the past. You deserve to feel safe and at peace through all of your days and nights.

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Trauma has devastated your inner compass. It spins chaotically, unmoored from its true north, and every direction looks much the same — confusing and so fucking fraught with danger. You feel broken, alone, and hopeless. You feel you can’t trust yourself much less the world outside your door or any one who inhabits it.

While you may have been wounded by what you endured, rest assured, therapy can help you rebuild senses of safety and security. We will tap into your ever-present capacity for healing so you can come to trust yourself, others, and life again.

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The fire of your rage burns bright, fueled by the hurt and injustice from what you experienced. Many times we’re told we have to let go of anger and work towards peace. You won’t fucking hear that from me.

One of the best things I’ve learned as a therapist is that anger is unexpressed dignity. When we work together, we’ll honor your anger and hurt and learn what these visitors want and need to do.

Only by doing that, can we determine how you want to channel those energies to bring the resolution and reconciliation that’s authentic to you. The only way out is through and I will walk by your side to help you get there.

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“It’s my fault. It’s my fault. It’s my fault.” is a relentless drumbeat thought pounding in your mind. It’s a mental prison that traps you under a crushing weight of guilt as you replay the past over and over searching for an OUT.

Dear soul, please know that it is trauma itself that often triggers this sinister, deceptive cycle of self-blame. It makes sense on a certain level as you’re trying SO HARD to try to contain and understand what happened, however, this coping mechanism offers no redemption nor relief.

Therapy can be a powerful tool to dismantle this destructive narrative. It can help dissolve self-blame, integrate what happened through emotion and somatic experiences, and cultivate self-compassion to finally heal.

Free yourself from being a prisoner of your own accusations. Seek help and reclaim your sense of self-worth.

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Trust shattered by trauma leaves sharp shards and broken bits that stab at us and hinder attempts to reconnect to ourselves, others, and the world at large.

Opening yourself up feels like a terrifying risk. It feels like some absolute bullshit that the very thing you need to do, trust, is the very last thing you want to do when you’ve been hurt so badly. Thankfully, therapy can rebuild a sense of safety and security in yourself and with those most important to you.

Discover how to restore confidence and trust so you can move through the world with deep intuition, strength, and peace.

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Hovering over the threshold of therapy, it’s natural to ask, “Is this really going to work?” Maybe past attempts have been disappointing or downright awful.

Goodness knows, I’ve experienced that as a client myself when I’ve sought services, and, sadly, my experiences as a psychotherapist working with other mental health professionals, also leads me to know there are some terribly shitty ones out there.

So, it’s really important to know that, yes, therapy really can help you heal AND that working with a seasoned, highly skilled therapist, such as myself, can be a game-changer. Therapy isn’t a magic bullet, but when you find the right therapist for you, it can become a powerful tool for navigating your journey towards a brighter future.

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Feeling overwhelmed by emotions can be like being slammed by giant waves dragging you under into a rip current of their power.

Terror. Anger. Sadness. A feeling that comes out of the blue like a gotdamn tsunami or wave after wave of them batter the shore of your you-ness rapidly one after the other. You fear you’ll be swept away, but therapy can be your life preserver.

Together, we can still the waters to help you regulate your emotions effectively through a mental health wellness plan composed of experience integration, narrative therapy, and mindful embodiment. Find inner peace so you can wield the power of your emotions and create the wonderful life you deserve.

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The aftermath of trauma can feel like there are echoes of pain reverberating everywhere inside of you and all around you. Part of you feels as if it’s screaming into a void, but you’re unheard and unseen. You’re alone.

A deep sense of connection is absolutely essential for healing and when you’re isolated, it can actually amplify your suffering. As you ask this question, I want you to know you’re showing such EXCELLENT innate wisdom as you must know that you need the presence of safe others who can understand you deeply.

Therapy can help you bridge any gaps to foster genuine connections to give you the validation, care, and sense of belonging you deserve. Lay the shield of isolation down, be reconnected to the vitality all around you, and become empowered on your path of healing.

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Sometimes, the terribly hard things we endure can loom so large that it’s hard to imagine a future where they don’t cast dark shadows over everything we see and do. What you went through may be a part of your story, but it doesn’t have to taint you or your future with its dull fog.

Therapy can free you of old pain and stories so YOU define yourself, not the past. Together, we can expand your vision of who you are and what you can do. Leave the darkness behind and stride into a future of light, peace, and possibility.

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The trauma you experienced may feel like it broke your wings, leaving you crippled on the ground. As you look at the world outside, it seems filled with possibility, but on the inside of you, your hopelessness feels like a cruel cage trapping you in despair.

You’re exhausted. Depleted. Numb at best and agonizingly sad at worst. As your therapist, I can help you mend your wings. Together, we can create a nest of safety where you can recover and regain the strength to take flight towards the amazing adventure of your life.

Soar above your circumstances and reclaim the joy and peace waiting for you in the sky of possibility.

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FAQs About Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy is a process focused on healing the emotional and physical wounds left by traumatic experiences. Whether it’s from a single devastating event or prolonged exposure to stress and fear, trauma can fundamentally alter how you feel, think, and relate to the world. In trauma therapy, we work to safely explore those shitty painful memories, release the body’s stored tension, and rebuild trust in yourself and others.

Using techniques like Somatic TherapyEmotionally Focused Therapy, and Compassion-Focused Therapy, we center healing from traumatic experiences and resulting emotional pain to allow you to regain control over your life.  We work together to create the conditions for you to experience peace, strength, and a sense of safety in your own skin. 

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Sadly, there are sooooo many kinds of trauma us humans experience. In trauma therapy, that wide range of traumas can be addressed, including both acute and chronic forms. This might include experiences like childhood trauma, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, accidents, racial trauma, loss of a loved one, natural disasters or accidents, childhood neglect, or witnessing violence.

Trauma therapy can also address complex trauma, where the person has endured repeated, long-term traumatic events, such as in cases of ongoing abuse or neglect. Whether the trauma stems from a single event or prolonged exposure, therapy provides a safe space to heal, process, and regain control of your life and emotional well-being.

In a trauma therapy session, expect a deeply supportive, non-judgmental space where you can process your experiences at a pace that’s right for you. We focus on helping you feel safe in your body and mind, using methods like Emotionally Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, and Compassion-Focused Therapy.

We’ll work on processing the trauma, releasing emotional and physical tension, and helping you regain a sense of control. Techniques might include grounding exercises, guided imagery, or even hypnotherapy, all aimed at building resilience and helping you heal to reclaim your peace, strength, and sense of self.

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Trauma therapy doesn’t come with a preset finish line— we’ll honor your unique journey by allowing it to take however long you need to reach the healing and relief you deserve. Some people might feel a significant shift after a handful of sessions, while others need longer-term therapy to untangle deep-seated pain. My own trauma therapy with my therapist took about two years and I’m grateful for every moment of it.

Your process will be personalized for you in the same way it was for me. We’ll regularly touch base to see how you’re doing and adjust as we go. The ultimate goal? Healing at your pace, without any rush. Trauma is complex, and therapy is about creating space for you to feel safe, seen, and fully supported while reclaiming your life piece by piece. It’s your time to thrive, not just survive.

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In trauma therapy, I focus on deep, integrative methods that tap into both mind and body. Using  my foundational and, honestly, my favorite modality, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), we’ll explore how trauma affects your emotions and relationships and allow for emotional experiencing that allows you to release what you don’t need and integrate what you do. With Somatic Therapy, we’ll work on releasing trauma that’s been physically stored in your body, helping you heal from the inside out.

Hypnotherapy allows us to access subconscious layers of pain and others of innate wisdom, creating space for profound transformation. Lastly, Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) brings self-compassion to the forefront, teaching you how to nurture yourself through the healing process. It’s a holistic, tailored approach designed for real, lasting recovery.

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Indeed! Thankfully, trauma therapy can be incredibly effective when approached with the right tools employed by an effective therapist. It’s not a magic fix, but with approaches like Emotionally Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, and Hypnotherapy, we do depth work to address not just the psychological, but also the emotional and physiological wounds trauma can leave behind.

The key is a personalized, integrated process that meets you where you are. I won’t lie, it can be painful and messy, but with a guide to help you through to the other side, you can emerge feeling more whole, empowered, and capable of thriving again. Healing from trauma is absolutely possible, even if it takes time.

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Many people coping with trauma also struggle with other mental health concerns, including:

ADHD

Anxiety

Burnout

Depression

Relationships &
Addiction

Transitions

Trauma

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