Trauma-informed therapy
Trauma-Informed Therapy in Lake Orion and across Michigan
Trauma is not only what happened. It is what the nervous system learned from it, and what it keeps doing long after the danger has passed: the startle, the shutdown, the sense that the world is not quite safe. Trauma-informed therapy works with that learning rather than around it, at a pace the body can tolerate, so the past stops running the present.
Who this helps
How the work goes
Safety before story
Nothing useful happens while the nervous system is braced. The early sessions build the capacity to stay present, with grounding, regulation practices, and a clear understanding of what your body does under stress and why. You are never asked to describe an event before you have the footing to come back from it.
Paced, with you in control
Trauma work moves at the speed of the slowest part of the system, not the speed of a treatment plan. You set the pace, you can stop, and sessions end with time to settle before you walk back into your day. Progress tends to show up first as smaller reactions to old triggers, then as more room for ordinary life.
The body is part of the conversation
Lizanne's approach is person-centered and holistic: attention to the emotional, relational, and physical parts of healing together. Somatic awareness, nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and attachment-informed care are part of the toolkit, chosen for the person rather than applied as a protocol.
What sessions look like
Sessions are 60 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in person in Lake Orion or by secure telehealth from anywhere in Michigan. Trauma work is usually a longer course than grief or transition work, and the first session is spent understanding what you are carrying and what safety looks like for you, not on the traumatic material itself. The fee, deposit, and how out-of-network benefits apply are set out on the fees page.
Questions people ask
Do I have to talk about what happened?
Not before you are ready, and sometimes not in detail at all. Much of trauma therapy is about how the body and mind respond now, and that can be worked with without re-telling the event. When telling it does help, it is done in pieces, with time to settle between them.
What does trauma-informed actually mean?
It means the whole process assumes trauma may be present and is built to avoid re-creating it: consent at every step, no surprises, control staying with you, and attention to the nervous system rather than only to thoughts. It is a way of working, not a single technique.
Can trauma therapy be done by telehealth?
Yes, and many clients find it easier to regulate in their own space. Sessions are held over a secure video link with clients located in Michigan; a private room, headphones, and a few minutes of quiet afterwards make a real difference.
How long does trauma therapy take?
It depends on what happened and how long ago, whether it was one event or many years, and what support you have around you. Single-incident trauma often shifts within a few months; complex trauma is slower work measured in seasons rather than weeks. Progress is reviewed together rather than assumed.