Many people come to therapy knowing something isn’t right—but struggling to explain it in words. You may understand your history, your patterns, and even your triggers, yet still feel overwhelmed, numb, or disconnected in your body.

At CARE Counseling, Inc., we often remind clients of an important truth: trauma is not only something we think about—it is something the nervous system remembers. Healing sometimes requires more than insight alone.

That understanding is the foundation of our Brain & Body Group, a trauma-informed therapy group designed to help adults reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and experience healing through both education and relationship. Brain and Body Group

Trauma Is a Nervous System Experience

Trauma can leave the body stuck in patterns of survival—fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown—even long after the original threat has passed. This can show up as:

• Feeling constantly on edge or easily startled

• Trouble relaxing, sleeping, or breathing deeply

• Emotional numbness or detachment

• Intense reactions that feel automatic or confusing

These responses are not flaws. They are signs that your brain and body learned how to protect you during overwhelming experiences.

The good news? The brain has a lifelong capacity to change. With the right conditions, new neural pathways associated with safety, connection, and self-compassion can develop over time.

What Makes the Brain & Body Group Different?

The Brain & Body Group at CARE Counseling integrates neuroscience, somatic therapy, and trauma-informed group work. Rather than asking you to “push through” symptoms, the group helps you listen to them with curiosity and care.

In this group, participants will:

• Learn how trauma impacts the brain, body, and nervous system

• Understand symptoms as adaptive survival responses

• Practice gentle somatic techniques that support regulation

• Build awareness of personal nervous system patterns

• Experience safe connection and co-regulation in a group setting

• Strengthen the brain’s capacity for resilience and integration

This is not about reliving trauma. It is about creating new experiences of safety, choice, and embodiment in the present moment.

Why Group Therapy Can Be Especially Healing

Trauma often disrupts trust and connection. Healing in the presence of others—when done carefully and intentionally—can be profoundly reparative.

Group therapy offers:

• A sense of shared humanity and reduced isolation

• Opportunities for co-regulation and nervous system support

• Witnessing and being witnessed without judgment

• New relational experiences that challenge old trauma patterns

The Brain & Body Group is intentionally small (no more than eight participants) to support emotional safety and individualized pacing.

Who Is This Group For?

This group is open to adults who have experienced trauma or chronic stress and want to better understand how their body and nervous system respond to the world.

You do not need prior group therapy experience. Many participants join feeling uncertain, cautious, or simply curious—and all of that is welcome.

Group Information

• Day & Time: Mondays, 7:00–8:30 PM

• Start Date: March 2

• Format: Open group, maximum of 8 participants

• Cost: Commercial insurance accepted; sliding-scale options available

• Location:
  CARE Counseling, Inc.
  2132 Deep Water Lane, Suite 240
  Naperville, IL 60564

Facilitators:
Megan Dixon, LCSW
Orianna Robinson, LPC

Moving Toward Healing—At Your Pace

Healing does not require forcing change or “fixing” yourself. It begins by understanding how your body learned to survive—and offering it new experiences of safety, compassion, and connection.

If you’re curious about whether the Brain & Body Group may be a good fit, we invite you to reach out. Our team is happy to answer questions and support you in taking the next step.

Phone: 630-791-0444