Counseling for Trauma
Trauma can affect every part of your life—your thoughts, emotions, physical well-being, relationships, and sense of safety. Trauma may result from a single overwhelming event or from ongoing experiences such as abuse or neglect, childhood trauma, accidents, medical procedures, violence, loss, or other deeply distressing events.
While many people are able to recover from traumatic experiences with time and support, others continue to feel the effects long after the event has passed. You may notice persistent fear, emotional numbness, intrusive memories, difficulty trusting others, or feeling constantly on edge. Trauma therapy offers a safe, confidential space to understand these responses and begin healing at a pace that feels right for you.
If trauma feels like it is controlling your reactions, relationships, or daily life—despite your best efforts—you are not alone. Many people seek therapy after trying to cope on their own or after past therapy experiences that did not feel safe or effective.
Our practice specializes in trauma-informed, evidence-based treatment designed to address both symptoms and underlying patterns. Research consistently shows that psychotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for trauma because it helps restore a sense of safety, control, and connection—not just reduce symptoms.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma can show up in many ways. You may experience some or many of the following:
Intrusive and Re-Experiencing Symptoms
Unwanted memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
Emotional or physical reactions to trauma reminders
Feeling as though the event is happening again
Avoidance Symptoms
Avoiding places, people, conversations, or activities that remind you of the trauma
Emotional numbing or shutting down
Difficulty talking about what happened
Hyperarousal and Nervous System Responses
Being easily startled or constantly on guard
Irritability, anger, or agitation
Sleep disturbances or difficulty relaxing
Reckless or self-destructive behaviors
Negative Mood and Thought Patterns
Feelings of shame, guilt, or self-blame
Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
Difficulty remembering aspects of the trauma
Changes in beliefs about yourself, others, or the world
What We Work On
In individual trauma therapy, we focus on both stabilization and healing. Areas of focus may include:
Understanding trauma responses Learning how trauma affects the brain, nervous system, emotions, and behavior—and why your reactions make sense given what you’ve experienced.
Safety and emotional regulation Developing grounding, coping, and self-soothing skills to manage distress, reduce overwhelm, and increase a sense of control.
Triggers and trauma reminders Identifying emotional, physical, or situational triggers and learning how to respond to them without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down.
Intrusive memories and flashbacks Gently reducing the intensity and frequency of distressing memories while increasing present-moment awareness and stability.
Avoidance and emotional numbing Gradually addressing avoidance patterns while building confidence, resilience, and emotional flexibility.
Shame, guilt, and negative self-beliefs Challenging trauma-related beliefs such as self-blame, worthlessness, or feeling permanently damaged.
Relationships and trust Exploring how trauma impacts boundaries, attachment, communication, and connection with others.
Body-based awareness Recognizing how trauma lives in the body and learning ways to reconnect safely with physical sensations.
Integration and meaning-making Helping you integrate past experiences without them defining your identity or future.
Long-term resilience and growth Strengthening coping strategies, self-compassion, and confidence to support continued healing.
Our Approach
We use a trauma-informed, collaborative approach that prioritizes safety, choice, and empowerment. Therapy is always paced according to your comfort level—you are never pushed to revisit traumatic experiences before you are ready.
Our approach integrates:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and reframe trauma-related thoughts and beliefs
DBT skills to improve emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and grounding
Motivational Interviewing to support readiness, empowerment, and personal agency
Psychodynamic Therapy to explore deeper emotional patterns and the impact of past experiences
Solution-Focused Therapy to build strengths and create practical steps forward
Together, we focus on both symptom relief and long-term healing.
What to Expect
Trauma therapy is a collaborative and personalized process designed to meet your unique needs and experiences. Sessions focus on building safety and trust, understanding your trauma responses, and developing tools to help you feel more grounded and in control.
Therapy does not require reliving your trauma in detail. Instead, we work to help you process experiences in a way that feels manageable and supportive, while strengthening your ability to stay present and connected.
The goal is not to erase the past, but to help you move forward with greater clarity, stability, and self-trust.
If you are struggling with the effects of trauma and would like support, we invite you to reach out to schedule a free consultation.