Trauma-Informed Therapy

Trauma-Informed Therapy

Trauma-informed care approaches therapy through the lens of:

“what happened to you and who was there for you?” rather than “what’s wrong with you?”

Trauma-informed therapy acknowledges the widespread impact of trauma on individuals and aims to create a safe and supportive space for healing. Traditional talk therapy tends to focus on managing present-day symptoms such as anxiety or depression. However, with trauma-informed therapy it is recognized that many people have experienced trauma at some point in their lives and that trauma can have a profound and lasting effect on the person’s mind, body, and emotions.

It understands that it is all connected (mind + body) and that our past life experiences make a lasting imprint on our bodies that manifest into symptoms like depression and anxiety. Trauma-informed care understands that these life experiences don’t define who you are or label you with a diagnoses, but that they have shaped your nervous system in how you see yourself and the world.

Key principles in trauma-informed therapy include the following:

Creating safety and a supportive environment with compassion and empathy. Safety not only means physical safety but emotional safety such as respecting boundaries, going at the client’s own pace, and avoiding re-traumatization.

Trust and transparency are very crucial in trauma-informed therapy. Therapists work to build trust with clients by being transparent about the therapeutic process and ensuring that clients feel informed and empowered. Asking for permission from the client and having a collaborative approach helps the client to have their own sense of agency in their process and to tailor their treatment to their specific needs. Everyone’s healing journey is unique.

Empowerment, voice, and choice are encouraged for clients to take an active role in their own healing process, and their preferences and choices are respected.

Therapists are sensitive to cultural, historical, intergenerational, and gender related factors that may influence how individuals experience and respond to trauma.

Highlighting strengths and resilience is recognized in trauma-informed therapy and find ways to build those resources towards healing and recovery.

Trauma-informed therapies include: EMDR, Brainspotting, Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Experiencing, and Compassionate Inquiry.

Overall, trauma-informed therapy aims to create a compassionate and empowering therapeutic environment that recognizes the complexity of trauma and supports individuals in their journey towards healing and recovery.

What Does Trauma-Informed Therapy Help With?

  • Panic attacks

  • Intrusive thoughts

  • Chronic Depression

  • Anger and Resentment

  • Anxiety + Social Anxiety

  • Phobias

  • Childhood Trauma

  • Complex Trauma (C-PTSD)

  • Eating Disorders

  • Accidents or Injuries

  • Suicidal thoughts

  • Self-harming behaviors

  • Chronic Physical Pain

  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault / Rape Trauma

  • Domestic Violence

  • History of physical, emotional, or mental abuse

  • Conflicts in Interpersonal Relationships

  • Co-dependency and Addiction

  • Perfectionism

  • Life Transitions (family issues, college, career, moving, dating, relationship break ups)