Trauma, PTSD & Stress Disorders
Trauma can stay with you long after the event is over. You might feel on edge, avoid places or people that remind you of what happened, have trouble sleeping, or feel like you’re not quite yourself anymore. These are common reactions to experiences that overwhelmed your ability to cope. They are not signs of weakness, and they can get better with the right treatment.
What We Help With
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, feeling constantly on guard, or feeling numb and disconnected.
Acute stress reactions. Strong distress in the weeks after a frightening or upsetting event.
Adjustment-related stress. Difficulty coping after a major life change, loss, or ongoing stressor.
Complex and relational trauma. The effects of repeated or long-term experiences, often starting in childhood, that shape how you see yourself and others.
Trauma can come from many experiences, including accidents, assault, medical events, loss, violence, abuse, or chronic stress. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to start therapy. If something from your past still affects your present, it’s worth talking about.
How Treatment Works
I use structured, research-supported approaches that help your brain and body process what happened. That way the memories lose their power over your daily life. Treatment is collaborative. We’ll start by understanding your history and goals, building skills for managing distress, and choosing the approach that fits you best.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR helps the brain reprocess distressing memories that feel “stuck.” While you briefly focus on a memory, you follow bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating taps. Over time, the memory becomes less vivid and upsetting, and more balanced beliefs about yourself can take hold. EMDR doesn’t require you to describe every detail of what happened aloud, which many clients find helpful. It works well over telehealth with most people reporting no difference in positive treatment outcomes versus in person therapy.
Learn more about EMDR here.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Prolonged Exposure is a structured, well-researched treatment for PTSD. Avoidance makes sense after trauma, but it can keep fear going. PE helps you gradually and safely approach the memories, feelings, and situations you’ve been avoiding. It includes two main parts:
Imaginal exposure. Revisiting the trauma memory in session, at a pace we plan together, so it can be processed instead of pushed away.
In vivo exposure. Gradually re-engaging with safe situations and activities you’ve been avoiding in daily life.
Over time, you learn that the memories are painful but not dangerous, and you can reclaim parts of your life that trauma took from you. Alongside these treatments, you’ll learn practical tools for grounding, managing intense emotions, and improving sleep. You’ll have support for the hard moments between sessions, not just during them.
Learn more about Prolonged Exposure here.
Is This Right for Me?
Trauma therapy may be a good fit if you:
Have memories, images, or dreams that keep coming back
Avoid people, places, or conversations that remind you of what happened
Feel jumpy, irritable, or always on alert
Feel numb, disconnected, or unlike yourself
Notice that the past is affecting your relationships, work, or sense of safety
Getting Started
All sessions take place by secure telehealth, so you can do this work from a space where you feel comfortable. If you’re ready to talk about whether trauma therapy is right for you, reach out to schedule a consultation.
Please feel free to reach out to us at (213) 648-0942!
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.