Trauma Therapy

"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

Trauma Therapy for Children and Adults

Lilac Therapy Center is proud to offer specialized treatment for trauma and PTSD in both adults and children.  Our specially trained and certified trauma therapists 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.

What is trauma?

Put most simply, traumatic events are any events that overwhelm our ability to cope.  For some people, trauma occurs in a single, unexpected, and catastrophic event, like a car accident, natural disaster, physical or sexual assault, 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.  Sometimes, vicarious trauma can occur when an individual is exposed to the suffering of another, which can be common in first responders, physicians, and law enforcement.  Regardless of the event, trauma is the emotional response that follows these distressing experiences.  

How do I know if I need support or therapy for my trauma?

  • Flashbacks or nightmares

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Anxiety or hypervigilance

  • Emotional overwhelm

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Feeling “unreal” or outside of your body

  • Shame or worthlessness

  • Emotional numbing/feeling “nothing”

  • Depression or loss of hope for the future 

  • Relationship difficulties

What does childhood trauma look like? 

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 our kids and teens tend to show us that they are struggling in different ways.  

Traumatic responses in kids and teens can look like:

  • Anger or irritability

  • Acting out or tantrums

  • Aggressive or sexual acting out behavior 

  • Difficulty paying attention/poor school performance

  • Easily startled 

  • Separation anxiety or clinginess

  • Frequent crying or tearfulness

  • Physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, stomach aches)

  • Self-harming behaviors 

  • Increased risk-taking behaviors

  • Withdrawal from friends or family

Understanding the unique presentation of trauma in children and teens in key to intervening and providing the support necessary to encourage healing.   

What is childhood trauma therapy and what is it like working with a trauma therapist?

Trauma therapy does not look the same for everyone.  The client and therapist will work together to come up with goals for the treatment that are in aligned with the client’s needs and wishes.  Trauma therapy can help restore a sense of safety, decrease intense feelings (or reactivity) when thinking about the traumatic event(s), manage current symptoms that have occurred due to the trauma, and help to re-engage with life and relationships.  

Our Trauma Therapists in Montgomery County Offer EMDR & CBT for Trauma Therapy

At Lilac Therapy Center, we offer a variety of interventions for treating trauma, including two specialized treatments: EMDR and Trauma-Focused CBT.  

EMDR Trauma Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a method of trauma treatment that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements) to help the brain store and organize traumatic memories more effectively.  EMDR engages both the mind and the 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

For children, Trauma-Focused CBT is an evidence-based treatment model 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 to trauma therapy with excellent efficacy in treating the effects of trauma.   

Our trauma therapists offer specialized treatment for trauma and PTSD to children, teens and adults in Blue Bell, Ambler and the surrounding areas.