Do I Have Complex Trauma? Common Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore | Orlando Trauma Therapist

From the outside, you may look highly capable. You show up, handle responsibilities, and keep moving forward. Many people would never, ever guess how much effort it takes just to live a normal day.

Inside, though, your emotional world feels different—sometimes confusing, sometimes exhausting, often invisible.

Complex PTSD rarely announces itself to the world. It’s often not vivid flashbacks, sweating, or panic attacks. Instead, it’s that—constantly running behind the scenes—ingrained mental programming, type of trauma that I often see in trauma therapy. The type that leaves you wondering:

“Why does life feel harder for me than it seems to for everyone else?”

If you’ve felt misunderstood (even by people who love and care about you), alone (even when you’re not), constantly doubting yourself, and are always wondering “why does this feel so intense?”—welcome. This post is for you.

What Are Signs of Complex Trauma?

Here are some common experiences I’ve witnessed at Bloom Psychological among survivors of Complex PTSD:

You’re Always Waiting for Something to Go Wrong

Even when life is “calm,” your body doesn’t believe it.

It’s not like something is actively falling apart. No one is upset, there isn’t an obvious problem to solve, yet here you are. Alert as ever—expectant. Like it’s only a matter of time before something shifts and the other shoe drops.

You’re Surrounded by People, But Still Feel Alone

You have people in your life—people who genuinely love you. You show up, engage, respond — all while carrying the subtle sense that no one fully sees you or knows the full version of you.

Conversations happen, but they rarely feel exposing in the way you secretly long for. But then again, you wouldn’t really share if they did, would you?

You Worry You’re Too Much… and Yet Not Fully Seen

Part of you monitors how you come across. You try so hard not to overwhelm people. You keep your emotions measured, your needs reasonable, your presence easy to hold.

Yet at the same exact time, you feel overlooked, maybe even invisible.

It creates quite the bind: learning to contain your intensity while wondering if anyone would stay if you didn’t.

You Feel Everything Deeply—Until You Don’t Feel Much at All

Some moments land hard. A look, a tone, a subtle change in energy— our system picks it up immediately, and the reaction can feel bigger than you want it to be.

Other times, it’s the opposite. You feel distant from your emotions, removed from yourself, as if you’re moving through life behind a layer of glass.

Many people shift between heightened feelings and emotional shutdown without understanding why. Both states reflect a nervous system that has learned, in different ways, how to prevent overwhelm.

Your Mind Knows You’re Safe. Your Body Isn’t So Sure.

You can often think through things logically.

You know someone isn’t abandoning you. They’re not upset. You know the situation isn’t dangerous.

And still, your chest tightens. Thoughts race through your mind. Emotion floods in before reasoning has a chance to catch up.

There can be real frustration in this gap—insight on one side, physiology on the other.

You Don’t Really Know How to Relax

When nothing is demanding your attention, you might expect relief. Instead, stillness can feel strangely uncomfortable.

Your body stays slightly keyed up, and you almost immediately need to fill that space. You reach for your phone, start a task, organize something—anything that keeps you from fully dropping into rest.

It’s not like you don’t want peace. Your system just adapted to functioning in a state of readiness, and powering all the way down can feel unfamiliar—and next to impossible.

Friendship Can Feel Like a Chore

You care about the people in your life—but the thought of replying to that text, or worse, a phone call—sounds dreadful. The amount of energy it would take? No. Shutdown.

So you delay. Tell yourself you’ll answer later. Cancel when you’re stretched too thin (often).

You want friends – there’s just nothing left in the tank to give at the end of the day. When your nervous system has been running on emergency power—for years—relationships can begin to feel less like nourishment and more like demand.

You Want to Trust—Until Something in You Says Don’t

You want closeness. Truly. And every so often, you let yourself lean in. You lower your guard just enough to be seen, known, to feel connected. For a while, it might feel almost safe.

But when you grew up reading the room and everyone in it, your system is quick to notice even the slightest shift. A change in tone. A different look. Even a pause that feels too long. Whether the threat is real or not almost doesn’t matter—your body registers it immediately.

So you adjust.

Maybe you withdraw emotionally. Maybe you become less reachable. Sometimes you push the person away before they have the chance to move first.

And afterwards, there’s that lingering embarrassment of feeling like you exposed something you should have protected. It’s too much.

So you shut down. Regroup. Tell yourself you don’t need that kind of closeness anyway.

Until the loneliness starts pressing in again—and the cycle slowly resets.

It’s not conscious. It’s—as human, I’m wired for connection—but my experiences prepared me to brace for pain. And then there’s you, trying to stay a step ahead of both.

Why Can ‘Parts Work’ Be So Helpful for Complex Trauma?

Before anything else, it helps to understand one simple idea:

Everyone has parts.

You don’t have to have trauma for this to be true.

There’s probably a part of you that wants to stay up late… and another that knows you’ll regret it in the morning.

A part that wants the cookie… and a part that reaches for an apple.

A part that wants to speak up… and a part that says, don’t make this awkward.

As an experienced trauma therapist in Orlando, I want you to know that this is a normal human brain. Not a broken one.

We are all made up of different internal voices, feelings, and reactions that guide how we move through the world.

When Trauma Is Present, Parts Work Harder

For people with complex PTSD, these parts often have more intense reactions—because they had to.

• One part of you became so alert that you could tell who was coming just by the sound of their footsteps.

• One part of you is so angry it could explode.

• Another part learned that anger gets nowhere, and you have to shut your feelings down.

• One part pushes people away the moment something feels off.

• And another longs deeply for closeness.

And here’s the part that can feel confusing:

You can have two completely opposite wants at the exact same time.

One part wants connection.

Another is certain it isn’t safe.

One part wants to trust.

Another prepares for disappointment.

It’s all designed to protect you.

What Can Internal Family Systems (IFS) Help You See?

IFS and inner child work are built on the understanding that these parts are not problems to eliminate—they are responses that developed to help you survive.

Therapy is not about kicking one part “off the island.”

It’s about helping your parts understand each other.

When protective parts no longer have to work so hard…

When the younger, more vulnerable parts no longer feel alone…

And when your system realizes the present is different from the past…

Something begins to shift.

You feel less pulled in opposite directions.

Less reactive.

Less guarded.

More whole.

Therapies Informed by Structural Dissociation

Structural Dissociation offers another helpful way to understand this experience. It explains why one part of you can handle daily life—go to work, care for others, stay responsible—while another holds the fear, pain, or memories that were never fully processed.

Both parts are trying to help you live.

In trauma therapy, we stress that healing is not about elimination. It’s about integration. Your parts working together instead of pulling you in opposite directions.

And when that starts to happen, so many people notice something they haven’t felt in a long time:

• Calm.

• Confident.

• Self-Trust.

Like deep down, no matter what happens, everything will be okay.

Therapy isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about finally feeling safe enough to be who you’ve always been.

Understand Root Causes and Explore Solutions Through Complex Trauma Therapy in Orlando, FL

If you’re exploring complex trauma therapy, chances are you’ve noticed patterns that feel hard to explain. Trauma therapy can help you make sense of these experiences, identify the signs of complex trauma, and begin healing at a pace that feels safe and empowering.

At Bloom Psychological in Orlando, FL, we specialize in compassionate, evidence-based trauma therapy that addresses the long-term effects of relational trauma, childhood adversity, and ongoing emotional stress. Our approach goes beyond coping skills to help you understand how trauma has shaped your nervous system, beliefs, and responses.

Whether you’re seeking therapy for yourself or hoping to better support a loved one, trauma therapist Dr. Kait Rosiere brings warmth, clinical expertise, and a deep understanding of complex trauma. Healing is possible, and you deserve care that honors your experiences without judgment or pressure.

Let us help you find your glow.

Get in touch to schedule a free consultation

Explore healing through connection, safety, and support.

You don’t have to carry this alone—and your path forward can start today.

Other Services With Bloom Psychological in Orlando, FL, and all Psypact States

If you’re trying to understand complex trauma, trauma therapy in Orlando can be a powerful way to untangle how past experiences continue to affect your emotions, relationships, and sense of safety. With the right support, healing can lead to greater emotional stability, self-trust, and the ability to feel more present and grounded in your daily life.

At Bloom Psychological, we recognize that the effects of complex trauma often extend into many areas—not just one symptom or diagnosis. In addition to complex trauma therapy, we provide specialized treatment for eating disorders and related concerns, offering integrated, trauma-informed treatment that addresses the whole person, not just isolated behaviors.

Our work with complex PTSD and trauma focuses on helping you gently process painful experiences, strengthen emotional regulation, and rebuild a sense of internal safety over time. We also offer therapy for eating disorders and body image challenges, including Anorexia, Atypical Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia, Binge Eating, Exercise Addiction, and Body Dysmorphia. For college-aged clients, we provide tailored support for UCF students navigating academic pressure, identity exploration, and mental health concerns during an important life transition.

No matter where you are in your journey, Bloom Psychological offers a warm, compassionate environment where your experiences are taken seriously and your healing is supported at your pace. Explore our website for information, inspiration, and encouragement from our blog and FAQ page. And when you’re ready for support, we welcome you to reach out.

About the Author

I’m Dr. Kait Rosiere (she/her), a licensed clinical psychologist and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist with more than 2,000 hours of advanced training in eating disorder treatment. Based in Orlando, I specialize in working at the intersection of body image concerns, eating disorders, and complex trauma—because so often, the struggles with food and self-worth are rooted in deeper emotional wounds.

Although Florida is now home, my Jersey roots still influence how I show up in the therapy room: direct, genuine, and grounded. I believe trauma therapy and eating disorder treatment require both clinical expertise and real human connection. Healing happens when you feel safe enough to be honest—and when your therapist meets you with both skill and authenticity.

If you’re here reading this, I want to acknowledge something important: reaching out for help takes courage. Many of my clients come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or exhausted from fighting battles no one else can see. Whether you’re navigating the effects of complex trauma, feeling trapped in disordered eating patterns, or simply tired of feeling stuck, your pain deserves thoughtful, specialized care.

I’ve walked alongside many individuals on this path, and it’s an honor to support that journey. Recovery is absolutely possible. You don’t have to do this alone. Together, we can help you reconnect with your most authentic, resilient, and empowered self.