When trauma follows you onto the 7:15
Chatham is the kind of place people choose on purpose: a walkable Main Street, well-regarded schools in the School District of the Chathams, and a train ride into Penn Station on the Morris and Essex Line. Many residents run tight schedules built around that commute, their kids' activities and work that does not stop at 5 p.m.
Trauma fits poorly into a schedule like that. It shows up as a jolt of panic in a crowded train car, a short temper at bedtime, a night of replaying an old argument at 2 a.m. Some people have a clear event in mind, such as an accident, an assault or a sudden death. Others have no single memory to point to, just a long history of feeling unsafe that never quite resolved.
Either way, the reactions you are living with make sense. Trauma therapy helps your mind and body learn that the danger is over, and it gives you better ways to cope while that learning happens.
What kinds of trauma does Dr. Audrey treat?
Dr. Audrey works with single-incident PTSD as well as complex PTSD, which develops after repeated or prolonged trauma. Clients come to her after:
- Childhood abuse, neglect or growing up with a parent's addiction or untreated mental illness.
- Domestic violence or emotionally controlling relationships.
- Sexual assault, at any age and at any point in the past.
- Car accidents, medical emergencies or a frightening hospital stay.
- The sudden or traumatic loss of someone close.
- Bullying, harassment or rejection related to identity, including for LGBTQ+ teens and adults.
Complex PTSD often brings additional struggles: deep shame, emotions that swing hard, and difficulty trusting people. Plain-language explanations from NAMI can help you and your family understand these symptoms, and summaries of current studies are searchable through the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
How trauma therapy works with Dr. Audrey
Good trauma care is paced. Dr. Audrey does not ask anyone to dive straight into their worst memory. Her approach has three broad stages, and you can move back and forth between them as life requires.
Stage one: steadiness
You learn what trauma does to the nervous system, why certain reminders hit so hard and how to bring yourself down from a spike of anxiety. Because she is C-DBT certified, these sessions often include practical DBT skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance and mindfulness.
Stage two: making sense of what happened
When you feel ready, you begin to work with the memories and beliefs trauma left behind, in small enough doses to stay grounded. The goal is to file those experiences in the past so they stop intruding on today.
Stage three: moving forward
The final stage focuses on relationships, boundaries, work and the parts of life trauma took from you. With her doctorate in Family Studies, Dr. Audrey often helps clients see how family patterns shaped their reactions, and she can include a partner or relative in sessions when that would help.
Signs it may be time to reach out
Many people wait years before starting trauma therapy, often because they are still functioning: going to work, raising kids, showing up for friends. Functioning is not the same as feeling well. Consider reaching out if you notice any of the following for more than a few weeks:
- You avoid places, people or conversations because they bring back something painful.
- Your sleep is broken by nightmares or by lying awake on high alert.
- You react to small frustrations with anger or panic that surprises you.
- You feel numb or far away, even during moments you expected to enjoy.
- You lean more on alcohol, work or scrolling to avoid feeling anything.
- Your partner or children have started tiptoeing around your moods.
None of these signs mean you are broken. They mean your system adapted to something hard and has not yet had the chance to stand down. Therapy gives it that chance. If you are unsure, a first conversation with Dr. Audrey can help you decide whether trauma-focused work is the right next step or whether another kind of support would fit better.
How online sessions fit Chatham life
Dr. Audrey's practice is fully online. There is no New Jersey office, so you never need to leave work early or find parking. You open a secure, HIPAA-compliant video link in your browser, with nothing to download, and meet from a space where you feel comfortable.
She holds a New Jersey Licensed Professional Counselor license, which allows her to see you whenever you are physically in New Jersey during your session. Sessions for New Jersey clients are scheduled in Eastern Time, with flexible options. If you split time between New Jersey and New York, she is also licensed in New York as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. See how online therapy works for New Jersey clients.
For trauma work in particular, home can be an advantage. You can keep a blanket, a pet or a cup of tea nearby, and you do not have to pull yourself together for a commute afterward. Clients who prefer a neutral space sometimes take sessions from a parked car or a private office.
Help for teens, parents and families
Trauma rarely touches just one person. Dr. Audrey works with teens ages 12 to 18 whose trauma shows up as anxiety, self-harm, school avoidance or anger, and she supports parents who are trying to respond calmly to reactions they do not fully understand.
She also works with young adults ages 18 to 29, couples and whole families. When a parent is working through their own trauma history, family sessions can help children understand what is happening without carrying adult burdens. Family members can join from separate locations, which helps when a college student or a co-parent lives elsewhere. Learn more about her work with adolescents.
Dr. Audrey's background
Dr. Audrey Kteily holds a PhD in Family Studies and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Texas Woman's University and a master's in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York, and a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in Texas, where she has been licensed since 2001.
She is a Certified Family Life Educator through the National Council on Family Relations, C-DBT certified through Evergreen Certifications, and a published author on family dynamics, with more than two decades of clinical experience. Counselors are guided by ethical standards from the American Counseling Association, and the National Board for Certified Counselors offers information on how professional counselors are trained. Her practice is LGBTQ+-owned and affirming.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 911. Dr. Audrey's practice is not a crisis service.
Taking the first step from Chatham
Dr. Audrey is an out-of-network provider and offers a superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Check your out-of-network mental health benefits before your first session so there are no surprises.
When you are ready, fill out the secure appointment request form. She will respond within one business day. You can also learn more on the New Jersey therapy page or the Dr. Audrey home page.
Request an appointment, or text or call (917) 905-3183. Texting is easiest; please keep health details out of texts.