Trauma is the response we have to overwhelming or distressing events. Trauma causes the body and brain to go into overdrive in an attempt to make sense of what happened and to protect us in the future. This can dramatically affect our mood, relationships, sense of well-being, and ability to do the things that matter most to us. 

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Trauma affects us in three ways, each profound: the memories and pain of what happened, the things we missed out on (for example, a lack of nurturing due to an abusive or absent parent), and the strategies we came up with to try and deal with the pain (emotional numbing, workaholism, addictions, etc.). Trauma therapy addresses all of these areas through a safe, nonjudgmental relationship. Trauma therapy has three broad stages: 1) learning to manage difficult emotions and tune into your feelings, thoughts, and values, 2) processing and making sense of emotional content and memories, and 3) building a new normal, a life you intentionally choose that aligns with your values, dreams, and goals. 

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Kelley Ott and Kaci Ott both specialize in the treatment of trauma, having spent seven years training and working at a trauma-focused counseling center in New Orleans where Kelley served as the Mental Health Coordinator and Kaci served as the Children's Services Coordinator. Kaci does trauma work with children, adolescents, and young adult women. Kelley provides trauma work for adolescents, adults, and couples.  

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