Healing and Hope Counseling
Your Story Matters
I believe strongly in the potential of every person, no matter what you have been through, no matter how long you have struggled. My commitment is that you will be safe with me, and we will work together toward the life you have been wanting.
Carol Shelton
LCSW-S, CTTS
My name is Carol, and I specialize in helping people who have experienced significant traumas to find a new meaning to their lives. I specialize in acute, chronic, and complex trauma. I work from a trauma-informed, strengths-based perspective, with warmth and acceptance to allow you the space to begin healing. I use a variety of theoretical and practical approaches, including person-centered, somatic (body-brain connection), CBT, DBT, ACT, attachment-oriented, and Brainspotting.
Specialization:
PTSD
Maybe it was physical, sexual, or emotional abuse/neglect, a natural disaster, or a car accident. Maybe you don’t identify what happened to you as trauma, but you realize that your past experiences have caused you to feel unsafe, anxious, or uncomfortable with yourself, in relationships, or in the world.
Autism
Have you been diagnosed with autism or believe that you may be autistic? Many adults live with autism and are not diagnosed until adulthood. It is never too late to explore this question and to get support for living in a neurotypical world.
I Have Experience With:
PTSD & Trauma
Sometimes we have experiences that we do not fully process or heal from–this is especially true of childhood trauma. Maybe you find yourself saying, “Oh it wasn’t that bad” or “Others had it worse”. Without the chance to tell your story and receive trauma-informed care, you may feel as if you are alone or defective. You may wonder, “What would life be like if I hadn’t experienced that?”
Because trauma is stored in the body, we cannot “think” our way out of it. We need a safe place where we can tell our stories and receive supportive, trauma-informed care.
What the Work Might Look Like
When we experience something devastating, overwhelming, and/or terrifying, we react from the primitive parts of our brain focused on survival. These parts of the brain do not have a sense of time nor can they make meaning of our experiences, as they only act from a place of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn as if the trauma is occurring in the present. Receiving trauma-informed care helps to “reset” your system. When your body knows you are safe in the present, you are able to live authentically and without distress from past experiences.
Brainspotting
Brainspotting (BSP) is an offshoot of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which works well both in person and virtually. I have successfully treated many people virtually using Brainspotting. The applications of Brainspotting include but are not limited to: trauma resolution/recovery, decreasing chronic pain and anxiety, overcoming academic/sports blocks, treating addiction, and increasing a sense of calm and safety. As a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner, I can work with you to more quickly process through and release whatever is holding you back from experiencing the life you want.
For more information on Brainspotting, please click on the link below
What Is Brainspotting?
Autism
Autistic Adults
Have you been diagnosed with autism or believe that you may be autistic? Many adults live with autism and are not diagnosed until adulthood. It is never too late to explore this question and to get support for living in a neurotypical world. You are not deficient; rather, your brain operates differently. Maybe you wonder about stimming, special interests, how to navigate social settings, or managing anxiety in your family or workplace. There are strengths to being neurodivergent, and I can support you in recognizing these and navigating the workplace, relationships, and social settings.
Family support
Do you have a family member who is autistic and you struggle to understand how to support them and have the best relationship you can? It may be a minor child, adolescent, an adult child, or a spouse. I am experienced in providing parent/spouse support and education and am able to provide family therapy if needed. I am available for consultation and collateral work with loved ones of autistic individuals.
Assessment
If you are wanting to explore a diagnosis of autism, please contact me. I am trained in several autism assessments, including the ADOS-2 and the MIGDAS-2. We can discuss the process of assessment and what you can expect from an evaluation.
Get In Touch
Call
Address
Anywhere in Texas: Telehealth Only