You Are Not Your Trauma. Healing Is Possible.

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Trauma changes how the brain & body respond to life. With over 30 years of experience, Tony helps clients process pain safely & develop tools to regain control & calm.

Trauma & PTSD Counseling in Nashville & Franklin, TN

Trauma leaves lasting impressions — not only on the mind but also on the body and spirit. Whether caused by a single event or ongoing experiences, trauma can disrupt one’s sense of safety, trust, and connection to others. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may develop when those memories remain unresolved, leading to flashbacks, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or anxiety that feels difficult to control.

At Tony Rankin Counseling, the focus is on helping survivors understand and gently process what they’ve been through, without judgment or pressure. Tony provides a safe, supportive environment grounded in compassion and trauma-informed care. With over three decades of counseling experience, he helps clients develop practical tools for emotional regulation, process traumatic memories at their own pace, and rediscover a sense of safety, strength, and purpose in their lives.

Healing from trauma is not about forgetting the past — it’s about reclaiming your present and rebuilding your future with confidence and peace. Tony integrates trauma-informed methods like CBT, grounding techniques, and mind-body awareness to help you rebuild safety and self-trust.

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Areas of Focus

  • Childhood Trauma

    Early experiences of neglect, abuse, or instability can have long-lasting effects on self-esteem, trust, and emotional regulation. In therapy, Tony helps clients explore how early trauma shapes current patterns in relationships and self-perception. Using gentle, guided reflection, clients learn to understand their inner child, heal emotional wounds, and replace self-blame with compassion. Therapy provides a path toward breaking unhealthy cycles and creating a sense of safety and self-worth that may have been missing in childhood.

  • Sexual Abuse Recovery

    Survivors of sexual abuse often carry profound emotional pain that affects every area of life. Tony provides a safe, confidential environment for processing these experiences, reducing shame, and rebuilding healthy emotional and physical boundaries. Therapy emphasizes empowerment, body awareness, and gradual reconnection with one’s sense of safety and self. Healing focuses on restoring trust — both in oneself and in others — while strengthening resilience and inner peace.

  • Domestic Violence

    Experiencing violence or coercion from someone you love can create confusion, fear, and deep emotional scars. Tony offers compassionate support to survivors of domestic violence, helping them process trauma, rebuild self-trust, and develop strategies for emotional and physical safety. Counseling also helps clients understand the patterns of control and manipulation that can keep them feeling trapped, empowering them to set boundaries and regain independence in a safe, supported way.

  • Loss, Accidents, & Medical Trauma

    Sudden loss, life-threatening accidents, or medical trauma can trigger lasting emotional responses that feel overwhelming or unpredictable. These experiences can lead to anxiety, nightmares, avoidance, or physical symptoms long after the event has passed. Tony helps clients process these experiences with sensitivity, addressing both the emotional and physiological impact of trauma. Therapy focuses on restoring calm, reducing fear, and helping clients reconnect with life and loved ones after distressing events.

  • PTSD & Anxiety Symptoms

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can cause persistent anxiety, intrusive memories, emotional numbness, or hypervigilance. Tony works with clients to identify triggers, learn grounding techniques, and reframe negative thought patterns. Using evidence-based, trauma-informed methods, therapy helps individuals gain control over symptoms rather than feeling controlled by them. Over time, clients learn to live more fully in the present, with greater confidence, peace, and self-awareness.