Trauma-Informed Therapy for Women in Baton Rouge, LA

Trauma-Informed Therapy for Women Who Feel Stuck

You Feel Alone Even Though Someone Is Right Beside You

There you are getting ready for bed and already feeling that familiar loneliness even though your partner will soon be lying right beside you. You share the same room and the same bed, yet the space between you feels wide and quiet. You want a deeper connection, something more open, something that feels steady and like real partnership rather than coexistence. Instead, the two of you keep talking in circles about the same conflicts. And these talks have mostly become arguments about you being too sensitive, or controlling, or difficult to please.

The painful iron is that you spend so much of your energy trying to make things easier for other people, yet you rarely feel that energy coming back to you. You are tired of trying so hard and still feeling unseen.

The Same Patterns Follow You Into Other Spaces

It’s not just at home. You see it at work too, in these small moments that add up over time. A coworker emails you with a task request even though she is not your manager, and you handle it because it is simple enough. Yet, your asks for support go unanswered. You want to address it, but you worry about being seen as the argumentative, angry Black woman. So you hold it in again. You stay quiet again. You pretend it does not bother you, again. But it does.

It leaves you wondering how long you’ve been carrying the feeling of being misunderstood. How often you’ve felt the need to prove that you are not the problem. How many times you’ve taken the blame or minimized your feelings to keep the peace. You want to be seen — not as difficult or demanding, but really seen. You wonder who you are beneath all the expectations, opinions, and assumptions that have shaped your identity.

People-Pleasing Weighs You Down

Many people come to therapy at this exact point, when they are exhausted from holding everything together. From reading the room. From anticipating everyone else’s needs while their own sit at the bottom of the list.

The stress, sadness, and anxiety that come with people-pleasing start to feel too heavy to ignore. Patterns of self-sabotage creep in even when you know you want something different. Relationships may feel one-sided or emotionally empty. There is often a deep sense of wanting more, coupled with fear about what it would cost to ask for it.

Often, what’s underneath the exhaustion is not just stress, but grief — grief for how much of yourself you’ve lost to stay connected, accepted, or safe.

A Space Where You Don’t Have to Prove You’re Not the Problem

If you are looking for a therapist in Baton Rouge who understands how draining it can be to feel unseen or mislabeled, especially as a woman of color, you are not alone. You deserve a place where you do not have to explain or defend every emotion. You deserve a space where your full experience is welcome, even when it’s complicated or painful.

I’m Shameka, an independently licensed clinical social worker in Louisiana, Texas, and Washington.

This is the work I care deeply about. When I sit with clients who feel worn down by people-pleasing, self-doubt, or relationships that never seem to give back what they put in, I recognize the weight they are carrying. Many clients tell me that I get them even when they struggle to find the words. They feel understood without having to brace for judgment or worry about saying the wrong thing.

I work from a client-centered and strengths-based foundation, bringing warmth, humor, curiosity, and respect for the courage it takes to show up honestly. Again and again I see clients rediscover that they already knew what they needed but had learned to place too much weight on other people’s expectations. Much of this work involves untangling guilt, loyalty, and self-blame—and making room for the grief that often follows.

What We Can Do Together

In our work together, you can slow down enough to hear your Self again. You can explore what happens inside you when you silence your truth to avoid being labeled. You can look at the pressure to keep the peace and at how much emotional energy goes into protecting other people’s comfort.

We will also look at where these patterns began, how they once protected you, and how they may now be costing you more than you want to keep paying. Therapy here is not about forcing decisions or quick fixes. It is about creating enough space to be honest—and staying with what that honesty brings.

Over time, many clients notice subtle but meaningful shifts. You may stop blaming yourself for things that are not yours to carry. You may become clearer about what you want and what you will no longer tolerate. Some relationships deepen; others may change or fall away. Throughout this process, the goal is not perfection but a return to the center of your Self, where your personal sense of trust and integrity lie.

When You’re Ready

If you are tired of feeling misunderstood or dismissed, therapy can be a place to reconnect with your voice and your values. You do not have to keep existing on other people’s terms.

If you’re considering therapy and would like support clarifying what kind of work might be most helpful, we can begin with a dedicated session to explore fit and next steps.

My areas of focus include people-pleasing and boundary work, attachment and relational injury, emotional disconnection, and breakup or relational loss.