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What does trauma therapy look like?
Much of the psychotherapy done today, especially in the U.S., is focused on the present or future. Many modern therapists focus on moving forward, not processing the past. For many clients and situations, this is the right approach.
Yet trauma therapy requires that clients access and process past traumatic events. Memories become traumatic because of emotional content around the event that has not been cleared from a person's mind. Through trauma therapy, this emotional content is processed and clients are able to heal more completely from the trauma.
Trauma therapy can be emotionally and psychologically taxing on clients. For this reason, I treat trauma therapy like learning to swim. Clients will start in the safety of the shallow end, learning the basics and getting comfortable with the process. In trauma work, we start in shallow waters, building comfort before progressing to deeper material, until you are able to confront the deep water of your past.
My number one rule for trauma work is to "Start and end with safety." Clients can be assured they will never be pushed beyond what they can handle in any given session.
My Trauma Approaches
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
A Structured Path to Reprocessing and Healing
Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful, evidence-based approach, designed to help people heal from trauma and other distressing life experiences. When trauma occurs, the brain can struggle to process the information, leaving the memory unresolved and full of emotions. This is why the original sights, sounds, feelings, and thoughts can intrude on the present, causing significant distress. EMDR creates resolution with these memories, allowing your brain to resume its natural healing process.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR is a structured, eight-phase approach. This starts with ensuring you have the resources to feel safe and grounded. Once you feel more secure in the present, processing can begin. In processing sessions, you will be guided to focus on a specific memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation (BLS), such as guided eye movements, alternating sounds, or tapping. This dual-awareness allows you to revisit the memory while staying safely grounded in the present, letting your brain reprocess the old event with the support and resources you have today.
The goal is not to erase the past, but to free you from its grip, allowing you to live more fully in the present.
Visit the EMDR International Association's Website to learn more.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Safely Facing the Past to Reclaim Your Future
After a traumatic event, the instinct to avoid reminders of it is a powerful form of self-protection. However, over time, this avoidance can shrink your world and strengthen the hold that trauma has on your life. Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a structured and evidence-based form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) designed to help you safely and gradually break this cycle. The goal is not to re-traumatize, but to help your brain learn that you are safe now, allowing the fear to subside.
How PE Therapy Works: A Gentle, Step-by-Step Process
Prolonged Exposure involves two main components, which we will approach collaboratively and at a pace that you control:
Revisiting the Memory (Imaginal Exposure): In the safety and confidentiality of our therapy sessions, you will be guided through sharing the traumatic memory in detail. This process, done repeatedly, helps you confront the memory without being overwhelmed by it. It allows your brain to fully process the event, reducing the intense emotional distress it carries.
Re-engaging with Life (In Vivo Exposure): Together, we will create a hierarchy, or a list of safe people, places, or activities that you have been avoiding due to the trauma. You will then begin to gradually re-engage with these situations, starting with the least distressing ones and building confidence as you go. This is the practical work of reclaiming the parts of your life that trauma has taken away.
The goal of Prolonged Exposure is to help you:
Realize that you can manage the distress associated with trauma memories.
Learn that the situations you've been avoiding are not inherently dangerous.
Regain a sense of control over your life and your reactions.
Reduce PTSD symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, and nightmares
If trauma has made your world feel smaller, PE can be a powerful way to help you open it back up again.
The National Center for PTSD site can help you decide if PE is right for you.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A Path of Healing for Children, Teens, and Their Families
When a child or teen experiences trauma, their healing journey involves not just them but their family as well. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is one of the most effective and well-researched therapies for young people (typically ages 3-18) who have experienced traumatic events. It is a compassionate, components-based model that provides a clear roadmap for recovery while honoring the unique needs of each child and family.
The Three Phases of the TF-CBT Journey
TF-CBT is structured in three distinct stages to ensure healing happens in a safe and supportive sequence:
Safety and Skill-Building (Coping Phase): Before addressing the trauma directly, we build a strong foundation. Your child will learn practical, age-appropriate skills to understand and manage difficult emotions (affect regulation), relax their body, and challenge scary thoughts (cognitive coping). In parallel, you, the parent or caregiver, will learn about the impact of trauma and strategies to best support your child.
The Trauma Narrative (Processing Phase): Once your child has a toolbox of coping skills, they will be gently guided to create their Trauma Narrative. This is their story of what happened, told in their own creative way—through talking, writing, drawing, or other art forms. This process helps organize the memory, correct inaccurate thoughts, and reduce its emotional power.
Integration and Future Safety (Family Phase): In this final stage, the child is supported in sharing parts of their narrative with their caregiver in joint sessions. This is a powerful experience that enhances communication, reduces feelings of shame or secrecy, and strengthens the family bond. Together, we focus on creating safety plans and building confidence for a resilient future.
The Essential Role of Parents and Caregivers
You are the most important person in your child's life and healing. TF-CBT empowers you by making you an active partner in the process. You will be supported in understanding your child's experience and learning the most effective ways to provide comfort, stability, and encouragement at home.
Learn More: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Assessing the Evidence
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