Grief &  Trauma Counseling Corpus Christi 

Conscious Awareness in Trauma & Grief Recovery

Corpus Christi Counseling for Women

When Grief Is Natural — But Painful

Grief may include:

• Waves of sadness

• Longing or yearning

• Sleep disruption

• Changes in appetite

• Difficulty concentrating

• Emotional triggers around memories or anniversaries

These experiences are normal responses to attachment loss. Therapy offers support, stabilization, and space for meaning-making.

When Grief Becomes Traumatic

Sometimes loss is accompanied by:

• Intrusive images

• Medical or ICU trauma

• Sudden or violent death

• Guilt or “unfinished business”

• Panic or nervous system hyperarousal

• Emotional shutdown or numbness

In these cases, trauma can block the natural grieving process. We first work gently with nervous system regulation and trauma processing so grief can move again.

My Integrative Approach to Grief & Trauma

I draw from multiple evidence-based and integrative approaches, including:

• Attachment-based grief therapy

• Trauma-informed counseling

• Somatic and polyvagal-informed techniques

• Clinical hypnosis for safe reprocessing and symbolic closure

• Mindfulness-based emotional regulation

• Meaning-centered and existential approaches

As a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and Registered Nurse, I integrate psychological, physiological, and relational understanding to support whole-person healing.

Whole Person Healing and Emotional Support 

• The Loss of a Loved One 

• Pet Loss

• Healing the Wounded Healer 

•Trauma Revovery

• The Loss of a Relationship 

• Inner Child Healing

• Unexpected Health Challenges 

• Career Loss

• Life Transitions 

• The Loss of Self

• Family Estrangement 

You Don't Have to Grieve Alone

Grief is not just about death. It's the profound response to any significant loss that changes the landscape of your life.

As women, we often carry our grief silently, continuing to care for others while our own hearts are breaking. You may feel pressure to "move on" or "be strong" when what you really need is permission to feel, space to heal, and someone who truly understands.

Cathy Armstrong MS, LPC-S, RN, NBCCH

6901 Holly Road Corpus Christi, Texas 78414

Many women living with trauma or grief find themselves stuck in survival patterns — anxiety, emotional reactivity, overthinking, or numbness. These responses are not weaknesses. They are protective adaptations of the nervous system.

Healing begins when we develop the ability to observe our internal experience rather than be ruled by it.

In my work at Empower Her Wellness Center in Corpus Christi, I integrate contemplative awareness practices with trauma-informed psychotherapy. Clients learn how to:

• Recognize nervous system activation in real time

• Notice thoughts without becoming defined by them

• Shift from fear-based reactivity into grounded response

• Build self-compassion instead of self-critic

This approach is not about bypassing pain or minimizing trauma. It is about strengthening the capacity to witness emotions safely so the body and brain can reorganize toward regulation and clarity.

Awareness is not abstract spirituality. It is a practical, evidence-aligned skill that restores choice, stability, and emotional resilience.

Supporting Healing, Resilience, and Emotional Well-Being

For Individuals, Couples, and Families Across Texas