Trauma Therapy in California
I offer trauma therapy in California for adults who have experienced abuse, assault, or other overwhelming events. Using evidence-based approaches like EMDR therapy, I help clients process trauma, reduce anxiety and PTSD symptoms, and rebuild a sense of safety and control.
You are more than what’s happened to you. As a trauma survivor, you have experienced things that those around you may struggle to understand, empathize with, and support you in.
Many survivors find that, as time goes on, the impacts of these events begin to affect them differently. Perhaps you are turning to substances more often than you used to, repeatedly finding yourself in poor dating or peer relationships, or feeling more and more out of control of your emotions. Maybe you feel unsafe, unworthy, or not good enough as a result of what you’ve gone through.
Despite this, you’ve done your best to move on: you want to push beyond your past, to not let it define the rest of your life. But these things are starting to feel too big to deal with on their own.
How can trauma therapy help me?
When you’re overwhelmed by the kind of stress, anxiety, or depression you’re experiencing, it’s hard to see beyond these things on your own. Trauma therapy can help you process them in a completely safe environment: one where you are understood, seen, and supported.
I specialize in helping adults learn to stop living in their past, improve their relationships, regain their confidence, and conquer their fear of the unknown. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, trained in supporting survivors of:
Domestic violence
Rape and sexual assault
Mass shootings
Child abuse or neglect
Childhood sexual abuse
Emotional and verbal abuse
Children of alcoholics or addicts
Narcissistic abuse
What is trauma?
Trauma is your body and mind’s response to a distressing event. Sometimes this is a single, large, significant event such as an act of domestic violence or abuse or a natural disaster. Other times, it’s a series of smaller events over time (often when we were a child or young person), such as the actions or inactions of our parents or caregivers, emotional or verbal abuse, or relational manipulation such as gaslighting.
Trauma can impact your sense of safety, security, and self. While it can sometimes be easy to discount what you’ve experienced as “not as bad as” something else, any experience where you are living “before” and “after” or is preventing you from living confidently in day-to-day life is one that’s worth taking a look at.
What are some signs of trauma?
While each person’s response to trauma can be different, it often includes:
Feelings of helplessness
Flashbacks or nightmares
Difficulty in relationships, particularly with trust
Feelings of anger, guilt, or shame
Anxiety or depression
Feeling constantly “on edge”
Trauma can have physical symptoms as well, such as:
Insomnia
Difficulty concentrating or being easily distracted
Body aches or fatigue
Rapid heart rate
How does trauma therapy work?
Trauma therapy works by helping you safely process past experiences, understand how they’re affecting you now, and develop tools to feel more grounded, in control, and confident moving forward.
Using EMDR, talk therapy, and other evidence-based methods, we will work together to process trauma and the emotions connected to it. We’ll also focus on your thought patterns, addressing negative self-talk and self-esteem—because while you can’t control what happened, you can change how it impacts you today.
I understand you may not feel ready to share everything right away. Therapy is a safe space where you can open up at your own pace. You are never required to re-hash your past in detail. You can choose how much or how little to share, and still benefit from the work.
Through trauma counseling, you can learn to:
Become more grounded in the present day, rather than the past
Enjoy healthier relationships, with better boundary-setting and communication
Manage feelings of anger and resentment in a healthy way
Feel more confident, in control, and hopeful for the future
Gain insight into yourself and your innate strengths
Process the impacts of your trauma and heal them at the source
And it can fit your busy schedule! All therapy is done online, from the comfort of your home or office.
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A traumatic event (or series of events) is anything that has impacted your sense of safety, security, or self. You might have experienced something that, at the time, didn’t feel particularly harmful or damaging, but is now causing you to struggle in your life or relationships. Or perhaps you experienced something very significant—abuse, violence, or assault—whose impacts are showing up in almost every area of life.
All of these things are trauma, and each of them deserves a space where you can process their impacts and move forward from them.
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No. You are in full control of how much you choose to share and when you choose to share it. You will never be pushed to a place you don’t feel ready in therapy; this is about meeting you where you are with strategies and support that can help you start to create change in your life.
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Trauma therapy with me is a supportive, personalized process that moves at your pace. I focus on creating a space where you feel safe, understood, and in control while we gently explore how your past is showing up in your present. Some sessions may involve talking things through, while others focus more on building tools or using approaches like EMDR—always based on what feels right for you.
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Yes, online trauma therapy can be very effective. I’ve found that many people actually feel more comfortable opening up from their own space, which can make the work feel more natural and consistent. I use the same approaches I would in person, adapted in a way that still feels supportive and effective.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a proven psychotherapy method that allows you to reprocess life experiences, fears, and anxieties while, at the same time, addressing the underlying core beliefs that we hold about ourselves. It uses a three-pronged approach:
Processing the past events that have laid the groundwork for the challenges you’re experiencing
Addressing the current circumstances and triggers that hold you back
Preparing for future events to develop healthy coping skills and strategies
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This really depends on you. Some people start to feel relief fairly quickly, while others choose to stay in therapy longer to work through deeper patterns. I don’t believe in rushing the process. My goal is to move at a pace that feels comfortable and meaningful for you, and we’ll check in along the way to make sure it continues to feel that way.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trauma Therapy
Are you ready to move beyond your past and find the relief you deserve?
I help trauma survivors in California process past experiences, reduce anxiety and PTSD symptoms, and build a more grounded, confident life using EMDR and evidence-based therapy.