Trauma & PTSD Therapy
for Children & Adults

"We are a hopeful species. Working with trauma is as much about remembering
how we survived as it is about what is broken."

- Bessel A. van der Kolk

Our specially trained, certified trauma therapists offer treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adults. We understand the complexities of past trauma, the symptoms that trauma can create in the present, and the ways to promote a future of healing and growth.

For some people, trauma is the emotional response that occurs in response to a single, unexpected, catastrophic event, like a car accident, natural disaster, physical or sexual assault, the sudden death of a loved one, or serious injury. For other people, trauma can be more chronic or long-term, such as ongoing childhood abuse, living with an unpredictable caregiver, intimate partner violence, bullying, war/combat, or childhood neglect. 

There is also vicarious trauma, which can occur when a person is exposed to the suffering of another, which is what’s experienced by first responders, physicians, and law enforcement and military professionals.

Recognizing Trauma

For children and adults alike, the signs and resulting feelings of trauma are sometimes “too close” and, therefore, difficult to recognize or pushed down and unacknowledged. However, if you or your child is experiencing any, or a combination of, the following, we are here to help you:

  • Surreal or out-of-body sensations

  • Shame or worthlessness

  • Emotional numbness (feeling “nothing”)

  • Depression or loss of hope for the future

  • Relationship difficulties

  • Flashbacks or nightmares

  • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating

  • Anxiety or hypervigilance

  • Overwhelming emotions

Trauma therapy does not look the same for everyone.  We will collaborate with you and your child to develop treatment goals that are aligned with his/her needs and wishes, as well as yours as the parent(s). Trauma therapy can help your child restore a sense of safety; decrease intense feelings (or reactivity) when thinking about the traumatic event(s); manage current symptoms resulting from the trauma; and re-engage with life and relationships. 

Recognizing Trauma in Children

Childhood trauma can result from anything that disrupts a child’s sense of safety.  Traumatic experiences affect children in many of the same ways as adults, but they tend to show us that they are struggling in different ways. Specifically, traumatic responses in children and teens can appear as:

  • Separation anxiety or clinginess

  • Frequent crying or tearfulness

  • Physical ailments (e.g. headaches and stomach issues)

  • Self-harming or increased risk-taking behaviors

  • Withdrawing from friends or family

  • Anger, irritability or tantrums

  • Aggressive behavior

  • Sexually acting-out

  • Difficulty paying attention/poor school performance

  • Being easily startled

Specialized Options for Treating Trauma & PTSD

We offer a variety of interventions, including Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

EMDR Trauma Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements) to help the brain store and organize traumatic memories more effectively. It engages both the mind and body to tap into the parts of the brain where trauma may be stuck, allowing the memory to be reprocessed.

Trauma-Focused CBT for Children and their Families

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment that helps children and teens, as well as their families, modify negative and unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that result from traumatic experiences.  This is a time-limited approach with excellent efficacy in treating the effects of trauma. 

We Can Help 

If you, your partner, or child(ren) have experienced trauma and are contending with the resulting emotional responses, please contact us here, or call 609-358-0508, to schedule a consultation. We will reply to you within 24-hours.

Our compassionate, experienced team of therapists have the depth and breadth of expertise to equip you with strategies that will help you once again find peace and live a life filled with joy.