Trauma & PTSD
Trauma takes many forms. It's the assault you've never said out loud. The relationship that made you question your own reality. The partner who controlled you in ways you still can't fully name. The labor that nearly killed you. The childhood you've been trying to outrun. The betrayal that broke your foundation. Trauma doesn't require a single dramatic event — it can be chronic, relational, invisible to others, and still fully real. Our trauma-trained clinicians treat the full spectrum of what women actually carry: sexual trauma, PTSD, betrayal trauma, narcissistic and personality-disordered relationships, intimate partner violence, birth trauma, medical trauma, and complex developmental trauma — using EMDR, somatic therapy, and trauma-informed CBT.
Most major insurances accepted.
Don’t see your plan? We sign new contracts a few times a year — ask during intake and we’ll let you know if yours is being added soon.
You don’t have to talk yourself into seeking help.
- •Flashbacks, intrusive images, or memories you can't stop
- •Avoidance of anything that reminds you — places, people, medical settings
- •Hypervigilance — always scanning, always braced for the next thing
- •Numbness, dissociation, or feeling 'outside' yourself
- •Sleep disruption, nightmares, 3am waking
- •Anger that comes out sideways, or no anger at all where there should be
- •Doubting your own memory or reality (a hallmark of narcissistic/gaslighting trauma)
- •Deep mistrust of partners, providers, or authority figures
- •Shame that lives in your body, not just your mind
- •Walking on eggshells in a current or past relationship
- •Difficulty leaving a relationship even when you know it's harmful
- •Physical symptoms with no medical explanation — pain, tension, chronic fatigue
If any of the above sounds like what’s happening for you — or someone you love — that’s a clinical signal, not a personality flaw. Our specialists treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
Care for the woman the standard system overlooks.
- ✓Survivors of sexual assault or sexual abuse — recent or years ago
- ✓Women with PTSD or complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from any cause
- ✓Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) — physical, emotional, financial, sexual, or coercive control
- ✓Women healing from betrayal trauma — infidelity, broken trust, attachment injuries
- ✓Survivors of narcissistic abuse or relationships with someone with a personality disorder (NPD, BPD, ASPD)
- ✓Women who experienced birth trauma — emergency C-section, NICU, hemorrhage, obstetric violence, near-miss
- ✓Patients with medical trauma — dismissed pain, botched procedures, a diagnosis that changed everything
- ✓Women processing childhood, developmental, or religious trauma that has surfaced in adulthood
- ✓Clients who've done talk therapy for years and feel stuck — trauma often needs a different modality
Our approach to trauma & ptsd.
Trauma needs specific treatment — talking around it indefinitely doesn't unlock it. Our trauma-trained clinicians use evidence-based modalities matched to the type of trauma: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for discrete events and PTSD; somatic experiencing for body-held trauma; trauma-focused CBT and CPT for PTSD and sexual trauma; IFS for parts work when the trauma has fractured the sense of self.
Betrayal trauma and narcissistic abuse are recognized trauma types, not 'just bad relationships.' The clinical features — hypervigilance, loss of reality testing, shame spirals, intermittent reinforcement patterns, difficulty leaving — require specific trauma-informed care and are treated seriously here. We don't minimize what happened in a relationship that didn't involve physical violence.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from chronic relational or developmental trauma is also treated differently than single-incident PTSD. It requires longer sequencing, more emphasis on stabilization, and identity reconstruction work — not just memory reprocessing. Our clinicians know the difference and plan accordingly.
Pacing matters throughout. We don't push you into the worst memory in session three. Trauma processing follows a sequenced model — stabilization and resourcing first, then careful paced reprocessing, then integration. Most clients describe the process as 'difficult but contained,' not retraumatizing.
From first call to first session.
- 01
Stabilization first
Before approaching the trauma directly, we build grounding skills, somatic resources, and safety — so you have tools to manage activation between sessions and leave each one regulated.
- 02
Targeted reprocessing
Once stabilized, we use the modality best matched to your trauma type — EMDR, somatic, CPT, or trauma-focused CBT. Sessions are 60–90 minutes, paced to your window of tolerance.
- 03
Integration and identity reconstruction
After processing, we work on what changed — the new narrative, the body sensations, the relationships that need renegotiating now that the trauma isn't running the show. For relational and C-PTSD presentations, this is often the longest phase.
Common questions about trauma & ptsd.
Does trauma therapy work for narcissistic abuse or coercive control?+
Yes. Narcissistic abuse and coercive control produce genuine trauma responses — C-PTSD features, hypervigilance, loss of self, difficulty trusting reality. These are treated with the same care as any other relational trauma. Many clients find trauma-focused approaches more effective than traditional talk therapy for this pattern.
What about betrayal trauma?+
Betrayal trauma — from infidelity, broken trust, or discovering a partner's secret — is an attachment injury with its own clinical features. EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) and trauma-focused approaches both have strong outcomes for betrayal recovery. We don't require you to decide whether to stay in the relationship before you start.
What is EMDR?+
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — an evidence-based trauma therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or sounds) to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. Recognized as first-line treatment by the WHO and APA. See our [EMDR page](/therapy/emdr) for details.
Will I have to describe what happened in detail?+
No. EMDR and somatic approaches both process trauma without requiring verbal narration. Pacing is collaborative — you control how much, how fast.
How long does trauma therapy take?+
Single-incident trauma (one specific event): often 6–12 EMDR sessions. Complex or relational trauma (chronic, developmental, narcissistic abuse, C-PTSD): 6 months to 2+ years depending on goals. Most clients notice meaningful change before completing.
What's the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD?+
PTSD typically follows a discrete traumatic event. C-PTSD develops from prolonged, repeated trauma — chronic abuse, coercive relationships, difficult childhoods, or years of medical invalidation. C-PTSD includes the core PTSD features plus emotional dysregulation, identity disruption, and relational difficulties. It's treated with a longer, more sequenced approach.
Trauma & PTSD is also referred to as sexual trauma therapy, PTSD treatment, narcissistic abuse recovery, betrayal trauma therapy, IPV trauma counseling, birth trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, C-PTSD treatment, and complex trauma therapy. Whatever you call it, our specialists treat it.
Often paired with this work.
Postpartum depression & anxiety
PPD, PPA, intrusive thoughts, sleep disruption, and the identity shift of new motherhood.
EMDR & trauma-informed care
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing — the gold standard for single-incident trauma.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The most-researched, most-evidence-based talk therapy for anxiety and depression.
Ready to start?
Same-week availability, in-network with major insurance, and a specialist who actually treats trauma & ptsd as their main work.