Therapy For Trauma
Some wounds don’t come from what happened once. They come from what kept happening, quietly, over years.
You may not think of yourself as someone with “trauma” because nothing happened just once or all at once. Instead, you adapted to years of walking on eggshells, being dismissed, over-functioning, staying hyperaware of other people’s moods, or learning that your needs were too much.
Complex trauma often forms this way: through repeated experiences that teach your body and mind that closeness, safety, and self-trust are not simple.
Address the root of your trauma so you can move from surviving to thriving.
What complex trauma can look like
Complex trauma is trauma woven into daily life. It can grow out of chronic relational pain, family roles, intergenerational wounds, racism, immigration stress, religious harm, intimate partner violence, or long stretches of instability where your system had to stay braced to survive.
You may relate if you:
- Keep reading the room before you can feel yourself.
- Struggle to trust your needs, feelings, or limits.
- Swing between over-functioning and shutdown.
- Feel shame, self-doubt, dissociation, or people-pleasing.
- Expect closeness to cost you something.
Why it repeats
Maybe you were the one who kept going, kept taking care of everyone else, or kept trying to be less needy, less sensitive, less visible. Complex trauma can leave you highly adaptive on the outside while, underneath, you carry hypervigilance, shutdown, or a deep expectation that relationships are unsafe, unpredictable, or emotionally expensive.
These responses are not character flaws. They are survival strategies that made sense in the environments you had to navigate.
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My Approach to Treating Complex Trauma
Therapy for complex trauma is not only about understanding the past. It is also about noticing how the past still lives in your body, relationships, and sense of self—and slowly creating more room for safety, choice, and self-trust. My work integrates relational therapy, somatic awareness, parts-informed work, and Brainspotting to help process trauma held in the mind, body, and attachment system.
Together, we pay attention to how survival patterns show up in your life now: in your relationships, your internal dialogue, your nervous system, and the ways you protect yourself. We do not force disclosure or move faster than your system can handle. Instead, we work with steadiness and respect for your pace, because healing from complex trauma is not about overriding survival responses; it is about helping them soften when they no longer have to run the show.
In our work together, therapy may help you:
Understand your survival patterns with less shame.
Recognize how trauma shows up in relationships.
Reconnect with your body, emotions, and boundaries.
Build trust in your internal signals.
Loosen patterns that no longer protect you.
Schedule a free 15 minute phone consult here
Prioritize your mental health and self-care from the comfort of your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
about trauma treatment
What kinds of trauma do you treat?
We specialize in treating trauma, including:
✓ sexual trauma
✓ complex trauma
✓ intimate partner violence
✓ domestic violence
What is complex trauma?
Complex trauma refers to repeated and prolonged exposure to traumatic events or experiences, often starting in childhood, that have a cumulative effect on an individual’s psychological and emotional development. Complex trauma can occur as a result of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), neglect, domestic violence, or other forms of interpersonal trauma.
Unlike a single traumatic event, complex trauma can have a profound impact on an individual’s sense of self, relationships, and overall functioning. It can lead to symptoms such as difficulty regulating emotions, dissociation, identity confusion, chronic feelings of emptiness, low self-esteem, and a pervasive sense of being unsafe in the world.
Because of the complexity of the trauma, treatment for complex trauma often involves a longer-term approach that addresses the underlying emotional and relational issues that have developed as a result of the traumatic experiences.
What is intergenerational trauma?
Intergenerational trauma refers to the transmission of trauma from one generation to another. It occurs when the traumatic experiences of one generation have a lasting impact on the psychological, emotional, and social well-being of subsequent generations.
Intergenerational trauma can be caused by a range of factors, such as war, genocide, forced migration, slavery, racism, and discrimination. The trauma can be passed down through the family in a number of ways, such as through parenting styles, family dynamics, and cultural norms and values.
Read more about multicultural therapy here.
What is race-based trauma?
Race-based trauma refers to the psychological and emotional distress experienced by individuals who have been exposed to racism, discrimination, and prejudice. It can occur as a result of direct or indirect experiences of racism, including interpersonal racism, institutional racism, and systemic racism.
Race-based trauma can have a range of effects on an individual’s mental health and well-being, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and complex trauma. It can also impact an individual’s sense of self, identity, and relationships.
Examples of race-based trauma may include experiencing racial profiling, discrimination in the workplace or school, being the victim of a hate crime, or witnessing acts of racism against oneself or others.
It’s important to note that race-based trauma is a result of systemic issues and not the fault of the individual who experiences it. Treatment for race-based trauma may involve addressing the underlying trauma and developing healthy coping strategies to manage the effects of racism on an individual’s life.
Read more about multicultural therapy here.
How can sexual trauma affect someone?
Sexual trauma can profoundly impact an individual’s psychological, emotional, and physical well-being. It can affect someone in many ways, such as
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Sexual trauma can lead to the development of PTSD, which can cause symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance behaviors.
- Self-blame and guilt: Many survivors of sexual trauma may feel a sense of shame, guilt, and self-blame, even if they were not at fault.
- Relationship difficulties: Sexual trauma can also impact an individual’s ability to form and maintain healthy relationships, as well as their ability to trust others.
- Sexual dysfunction: Sexual trauma can also lead to difficulties with sexual intimacy and functioning, such as pain during sex, difficulty reaching orgasm, and disinterest in sex.
Everyone’s experience with sexual trauma is unique, and the effects may vary from person to person. Treatment for sexual trauma often involves addressing the underlying trauma and developing healthy coping strategies to manage the effects of the trauma on an individual’s life.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in therapy?
A part of the work in trauma therapy involves processing the trauma in a way that moves you toward healing but at your own pace. While talking about trauma can be a helpful part of the healing process, it’s not always necessary or appropriate for everyone.
Trauma therapists are trained to work with individuals at their own pace and to respect their boundaries and needs. You are in control of what you want to talk about, how much of it you want to discuss, and if you even want to discuss it at all at any given moment. Having that control over the pace and speed of treatment is crucial, considering that many people who have been traumatized were left powerless and helpless when it happened.
Treatment helps you process the experience in a way that gives you power and control. It’s important to remember that trauma therapy is a collaborative process between you and your therapist, and you have the right to express your needs and preferences throughout the therapy process.
If you feel uncomfortable talking about your trauma, you can discuss this with your therapist and work together to find alternative approaches that may be more effective for you.
Are therapy sessions covered by my insurance?
If you have out-of-network benefits, your insurance may be able to reimburse you for approximately 50%-80% of each session after the out-of-network deductible is met.
Out-of-network psychotherapy coverage varies by carrier and policy. It can be confusing, but we’re here to help! If you aren’t sure whether or not you have out-of-network benefits, we can check for you. Just email your insurance card and date of birth to info@imagineemotionalwellness.com
How often are therapy sessions?
Meeting consistently and stably on a weekly basis will help build safety and trust, which is essential for the work to progress on a deeper level. Biweekly sessions impact the effectiveness of therapy.
Often, meeting less frequently results in a ‘catch up’ type of session and does not allow for the time, space, and emotional capacity needed to address what goes on beneath the surface.
Depending on the level of our work, there are also times when meeting two or more times a week is appropriate, and that will always come from us talking and making that decision together.
How long will therapy last?
Therapy can last any time between a year to many more, as long as you are still progressing from our work. The length of therapy depends on what you want and need, and what you want/need can be fluid and dynamic.
Healing and personal growth is not strict or predictable. You can start off by wanting to address something very specific (e.g. “I want to feel less anxious”), but through our work together could realize a deeper meaning to these anxious symptoms (e.g. “I feel anxious because I am terrified of intimacy” to “I’ve had very familiar experiences of being emotionally suffocated when I was close to people”). Realizing these deeper long-standing issues may then shape the focus and length of treatment.
Regardless of why you are seeking therapy and how long you hope to be in treatment, it is important to remember that your thoughts and input are invaluable to me, and the pace and length of treatment will always be a collaborative discussion.
How do I know if I can benefit from therapy?
Anyone who wants a space to explore themselves and journey towards emotional wellness can benefit from therapy. If you’re unsure, try asking yourself these questions:
- Am I content with the way I live my life?
- Is how I live and relate to others congruent with what I authentically value, feel, and want?
- Are there areas of my life or self-development that I feel stuck in?
- Have I been trying the same things over and over again to feel better, expecting different results, but still feeling stagnant?
You may not need to know the full answer to these questions to try a few sessions. Sometimes, mulling this over aloud with a therapist can help you sort out your thoughts and answers. That’s also part of the therapy process!
What are your rates?
A 45-minute session is between $150 to $250 depending on the therapist you work with and modality (individual versus couples). A sliding scale fee is available depending on financial need. You choose which payment method works best. You have the option of making payments by credit card, HSA/FSA, PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. Contact us to inquire about rates for the specific therapist you would like to work with.
How do I get started?
Here are 3 simple steps.
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