Therapist Boulder
TL;DR
If you’re searching for therapy in Boulder, Colorado because you feel anxious, tense, conflict-avoidant, or disconnected from yourself, trauma-informed support can help. Martha Carter, a somatic trauma therapist in Colorado, works with people who aren’t necessarily in crisis but feel stuck in long-standing nervous system patterns rooted in childhood and relational trauma. Many people seek trauma therapy to understand how trauma lives in the body—not just the mind. This post breaks down when therapy can be helpful, how trauma impacts the nervous system, and how somatic therapy and immersive therapy sessions can support deeper, more embodied healing.
When Is Therapy Actually Necessary?
Many people start searching for therapy not because something dramatic just happened—but because something doesn’t feel right anymore.
Therapy may be helpful if you:
Feel constantly tense, on edge, or anxious—even when life is “fine”
Avoid conflict at all costs or feel panicked about disagreement
Freeze, shut down, or people-please instead of speaking up
Feel disconnected from your body, emotions, or sense of self
Overthink interactions and replay conversations afterward
Struggle to rest, relax, or feel present
These are often signs of unresolved trauma, not personal weakness. Even though you’re probably used to getting by feeling like this all the time, you don’t have to settle for this. With a little TLC, it’s possible to:
Speak up without shutting down
Feel more relaxed in your skin
Address conflict without fear
Not spiral about every social interaction
Feel generally present and at ease
Be more authentic and true to yourself
Common Trauma Signs People Seek Trauma Therapy in Boulder, Colorado For
Many of my clients seeking trauma therapy in Colorado don’t identify with the word “trauma” at first.
Trauma patterns often look like:
Fear of disappointing others
Chronic anxiety or hypervigilance
Conflict avoidance or self-silencing
Feeling responsible for other people’s emotions
Difficulty trusting yourself or your needs
Feeling emotionally numb or overwhelmed
Trauma isn’t just about what happened—it’s about what your nervous system learned.
What Trauma Is (And the Different Types)
Trauma is any experience that overwhelms your nervous system’s capacity to cope.
Common types of trauma include:
Developmental trauma (emotionally immature, inconsistent, or unsafe caregivers)
Relational trauma (chronic invalidation, abandonment, or boundary violations)
Single-incident trauma (accidents, assault)
Sexual trauma (assault or abuse)
Complex trauma (growing up needing to be “good,” quiet, or easy)
Many people seeking trauma therapy in Colorado have multiple layers of trauma.
How Trauma Impacts the Nervous System
Trauma isn’t just stored as a story of beliefs—it’s stored in the body.
Trauma can keep the nervous system stuck in:
Fight (irritability, anger, control)
Flight (anxiety, overthinking, busyness, desire to run away)
Freeze and Shutdown (numbness, dissociation, competing impulses like “I want to but I can’t”)
Fawn. (people-pleasing, self-abandonment)… I call this placating and appeasing, but it’s more widely known as fawn
Over time, this can lead to:
Chronic pain or tension
Digestive or sleep issues
Emotional overwhelm or shutdown
Feeling unsafe even in safe relationships
This is why trauma therapy increasingly focuses on the nervous system—not just thoughts.
Somatic Therapy: A Different Approach Than Talk Therapy
Somatic therapy works with the body, not just the mind.
Benefits of somatic therapy include:
Helping your nervous system actually settle
Releasing stored tension and activation
Building internal safety and presence
Creating lasting change instead of short-term coping
Reduce pain in tension in the body
In somatic therapy, sessions often include:
Brief talking
Noticing body sensations
Guided nervous system deactivation
Returning to the issue from a more regulated state
For many people seeking therapy in Colorado, somatic therapy feels like the missing piece.
How to Find a Good-Fit Therapist in Boulder
A good therapist is not just qualified—they’re a fit.
Signs a therapist may be a good fit:
You feel emotionally safe and not judged
Sessions feel structured and intentional (AKA you’re not just yapping with no direction)
They help you feel calmer, not more activated
They explain why you feel the way you do, and connect dots between the past and present
They work at a pace that respects your nervous system
It’s okay to ask therapists:
How they work with trauma
Whether they use somatic or nervous-system-based approaches
What sessions typically feel like
How to Know If Therapy Is Working
Therapy doesn’t always feel dramatic—but it should feel meaningful.
Signs therapy is helping:
You feel more grounded after sessions
Conflict feels more tolerable
You recover from stress faster
You feel more connected to yourself
You have less physical signs of stress like chronic pain or shortness of breath
You notice less self-abandonment
Immersive Therapy Sessions for Faster Healing
For some of my clients seeking therapy in Lakewood, weekly therapy feels too slow.
Immersive therapy sessions offer:
Extended session time
Deeper nervous system settling
Ability to process something all at once instead of dragging it out (this is especially good for processing extremely traumatic events you’d rather not return to week after week)
Space to work through trauma without rushing
Immersives are especially helpful for:
All forms of trauma, including complex trauma and sexual trauma
Single-event trauma (things that only happened once)
Clients who want focused, goal-oriented healing
Looking for Therapy in Colorado?
If you’re searching for therapy in Boulder that works with your nervous system, not against it, I’ve got you. I’m a somatic trauma therapist that offers virtual therapy in Boulder and trauma therapy throughout Colorado. I use Post Traumatic Growth somatic therapy to help people with all forms of trauma, including complex trauma and sexual trauma. I also support people with chronic pain management using Pain Reprocessing Therapy, which is also a somatic approach to help people reduce chronic pain and the fear that comes with it.
If you want to learn more about how I work and if we’re a good fit, use the link below to book a consultation.
About the Author: Therapy Boulder
Martha Carter is a licensed therapist providing virtual therapy in Boulder, Colorado. She is trauma-informed and trained in somatic, neurobiology-based modalities to help people with all types of trauma, chronic pain, and eating disorders heal from the inside out.
(Colorado residents only)
