Trauma Therapy in Charlotte, NC and Online Across North Carolina and South Carolina

Helping adults understand and heal the impact of trauma so emotional responses feel less overwhelming and more manageable

Do you feel overwhelmed, on edge, or disconnected in ways that are hard to explain?

You might notice tension in your body, a constant sense of alertness, or feeling emotionally shut down.

Or certain reactions or emotions feel stronger than expected, even when part of you knows you are safe.

You are not imagining it.

These responses can feel confusing, but they are not random.

With the right support, they can begin to shift.

Trauma does not always look the way you expect. Often, it shows up in the patterns you find yourself repeating, in how you respond emotionally, and in how safe or unsafe connection can feel.

You might notice them showing up as:

  • Feeling like you have to earn love or prove your worth to be accepted

  • Struggling with self-sabotage or pushing away good things when they start to feel real

  • Having difficulty setting boundaries, either saying yes when you want to say no or shutting down completely

  • Experiencing emotional reactions that feel overwhelming or hard to regulate

  • Feeling disconnected from yourself and unsure of what you truly need or want

  • Feeling lonely or emotionally numb, even when you are surrounded by people

  • Attracting relationships where you feel unseen or undervalued

  • Carrying deep feelings of shame, guilt, or anger that are difficult to release

If any of this feels familiar, please know these experiences are not a reflection of who you are. They are protective patterns that once helped you survive. With the right support, you do not have to keep living in survival mode.

Signs of Trauma and How It Shows Up in Your Life and Relationships

Understanding Trauma Responses and How They Show Up

Trauma does not affect everyone in the same way - it can shape how you respond emotionally, how your body reacts, and how you relate to yourself and others.

Emotional Overwhelm (Fight/Flight) 
Emotional Shutdown (Freeze)

You might feel numb, disconnected, or shut down, especially when things become overwhelming or emotionally intense.

You may feel anxious, reactive, or constantly on edge, as if your system is always trying to anticipate or prevent something from going wrong.

Push and Pull Patterns
People-Pleasing or Over-Attuning (Fawn)

You might find yourself wanting connection while also feeling the urge to withdraw, creating a sense of internal conflict in relationships.

You may focus on others’ needs, struggle to set boundaries, or feel responsible for maintaining connection and avoiding conflict.

At its core, trauma therapy is about restoring a sense of safety and connection, both within yourself and in your relationships. This work helps your system begin to recognize that the present moment is different from the past and that you have more choice now than you once did.

In this work, we focus on:

  • Creating safety within the therapeutic relationship and your nervous system

  • Understanding trauma responses as protective, not something that is wrong with you

  • Working with the body, emotions, and relational patterns together

  • Healing emotional wounds that still shape how you see yourself and others

  • Gently shifting patterns and responses that no longer support you

  • Creating space for emotions that have been held in the body over time

  • Learning ways to support yourself that feel grounding and emotionally safe

  • Rebuilding self-trust so you can move forward with more clarity and steadiness

  • Supporting change in a way that feels gradual, integrated, and sustainable

Healing is not about fixing yourself. It is about unlearning patterns that once helped you survive, so you can begin to relate to yourself and your life in a way that feels more authentic and self-directed.

How Trauma Therapy Helps You Heal and Feel Safe Again

You do not have to keep navigating this on your own.

Latest Blog Posts on Trauma and Healing

If you want to deepen your understanding of trauma and how it can shape your emotions and relationships, you can explore these resources.

Trauma Therapy FAQs

  • I am a virtual-only practice. Although I am based in Charlotte, North Carolina, I work with clients online across North Carolina and South Carolina.

    This allows you to access therapy from the comfort of your own space, while still engaging in consistent and meaningful work together.

  • The length of trauma therapy can vary depending on your experiences, your goals, and the pace that feels right for you. Some people begin to notice shifts as they develop a better understanding of their patterns and responses, while deeper healing often unfolds gradually over time. We move at a pace that supports both safety and meaningful change, rather than rushing the process.

  • Trauma therapy focuses on understanding how past experiences continue to shape your emotional responses, your nervous system, and your relationships, while creating enough safety to begin shifting those patterns at a pace that feels manageable.

  • No. We move at a pace that feels safe for you, and you are never expected to share more than you are ready to. The focus is on creating stability and safety first.

  • Insight alone does not always create change because many trauma responses are held in the body and nervous system. Therapy helps you begin to shift those responses in real time, not just understand them.

  • Yes. Trauma responses are not fixed, they are protective patterns that can shift over time as your system begins to experience more safety, stability, and choice.

About Your Therapist

Mina Rasti, MA, LCMHC, NCC

Hi, I’m Mina.

I work with adults who feel overwhelmed, emotionally shut down, or disconnected from themselves in ways that are hard to explain, especially when those experiences continue to show up despite insight or effort to manage them.

Many of the people I work with are thoughtful and self-aware, but still find themselves carrying emotional responses, patterns, or reactions that feel difficult to shift on their own.

My approach is relational, collaborative, and grounded in emotional safety. In trauma-informed therapy, we move at a pace that feels manageable while gently working with what your system has been holding, with the goal of helping you feel more regulated, connected, and steady within yourself.

You do not need to have everything figured out before starting. We can make sense of it together.