Heal from trauma. Reclaim your life.
Trauma affects the way you think, feel, and move through the world — long after the event is over. Our licensed Texas therapists provide EMDR and trauma-informed care to help adults, teens, and families heal safely and sustainably.
Trauma is more common — and more varied — than most people realize.
Trauma isn’t limited to combat or catastrophe. Childhood neglect, relationship abuse, medical trauma, immigration stress, and loss can all leave lasting imprints on the nervous system. SAMHSA recognizes trauma as one of the most significant drivers of behavioral health challenges in the U.S.
What makes an experience traumatic is not the objective severity of the event but the subjective impact on the nervous system. The same car accident that one person processes and moves past may leave another person hypervigilant, avoidant, and unable to sleep months later. This is not weakness — it is the difference in threat perception, prior exposure, and the support available in the aftermath. Trauma responses are the nervous system’s attempt to protect you from future harm; therapy helps your nervous system learn that the threat has passed and the protection is no longer needed.
Complex trauma — sometimes called C-PTSD — develops from repeated or prolonged traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood. It tends to produce broader impacts than single-incident PTSD, affecting identity, emotional regulation, relationships, and the capacity for self-compassion. Our trauma-certified clinicians are trained in approaches that address both acute PTSD and complex trauma, adapting the pace and structure of treatment to match the client’s stability, capacity, and goals.
Specialized care for every trauma experience
- PTSD and acute stress disorder
- Childhood and developmental trauma
- Complex trauma (C-PTSD) from repeated or prolonged experiences
- Relationship trauma — emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
- Immigration and cross-cultural trauma
- Grief, sudden loss, and medical trauma
Our trauma-certified clinicians are trained in EMDR and TF-CBT. Learn more about our EMDR-certified therapist.
Evidence-based trauma treatment
EMDR Therapy
EMDR is a first-line trauma treatment endorsed by the NIMH and the World Health Organization. It uses bilateral stimulation — guided eye movements, tapping, or tones — while you hold a traumatic memory in mind, allowing the brain’s natural processing system to reprocess it so the memory no longer carries its original emotional charge or triggers the same fear response.
TF-CBT
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is especially effective for children, teens, and families. It combines CBT techniques for processing traumatic memories with trauma-sensitive psychoeducation, skills-building, and parent coaching. TF-CBT helps children and adolescents understand their trauma responses as normal reactions to abnormal events — reducing shame while building the cognitive and emotional tools for recovery.
Trauma Recovery Groups
Peer support groups for adults processing trauma in a safe, structured setting. Group therapy for trauma leverages the power of shared experience to reduce isolation and shame — two of the most damaging secondary effects of trauma. Our grief and trauma recovery group provides structured support alongside individual trauma work.
Trauma resources: NIMH PTSD information · Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council
Safety first — always
Trauma therapy is never rushed. The foundational phase of treatment — establishing safety, building coping skills, and developing a strong therapeutic relationship — comes before any direct processing of traumatic material. This phased approach is standard in evidence-based trauma treatment and reflects our clinical commitment to your wellbeing throughout the process. We will never push you to revisit traumatic memories before you have the stability and skills to do so safely.
The processing phase, when it begins, is carefully paced and monitored. Your therapist checks in on your distress level throughout every session and adjusts the pace accordingly. If something is too much, you stop. EMDR sessions typically end with a closing protocol that ensures you leave the session in a regulated state, not a destabilized one. Many clients find that the anticipation of processing is worse than the experience itself — and that they leave sessions feeling lighter than they expected.
The integration phase focuses on consolidating gains, building a forward-looking narrative, and preparing for life after trauma therapy. This phase addresses the secondary effects of trauma — depression, relationship difficulties, identity challenges — that often remain after the acute PTSD symptoms have resolved. Learn more about PTSD and trauma treatment at SAMHSA’s trauma resources.
Trauma therapy — your questions answered — Trauma therapy Texas
Will I have to talk about my traumatic experiences in detail?
Not immediately — and not more than you’re ready for. The first phase of trauma therapy is dedicated to building safety and stability, not processing trauma content. When direct processing does begin, the pace is always client-led. EMDR in particular can process traumatic memories without requiring detailed verbal narration of the event — the therapist guides the bilateral stimulation process while you hold the memory internally. Many clients find this less distressing than they anticipated. Your comfort and stability throughout the process are always the primary clinical concern.
What is the difference between PTSD and complex trauma (C-PTSD)?
PTSD typically develops following a specific traumatic event or series of events and is characterized by intrusive memories, avoidance, negative mood changes, and hyperarousal. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) develops from repeated or prolonged trauma — particularly trauma that occurred in childhood, in intimate relationships, or in contexts where escape was not possible. C-PTSD includes PTSD symptoms plus additional features: pervasive difficulties with emotional regulation, a damaged sense of self, and significant problems in relationships. Treatment for C-PTSD typically takes longer than single-incident PTSD and requires more emphasis on stabilization, identity work, and relational repair.
How many sessions does trauma therapy take?
It depends significantly on the type and complexity of the trauma. Single-incident PTSD — such as a car accident, a medical emergency, or a specific assault — often responds to EMDR in 8–16 sessions. Complex trauma from childhood abuse, repeated relational trauma, or immigration experiences typically requires 30–60 sessions or more, with the earlier sessions devoted to stabilization and skill-building. Your therapist will give you a realistic estimate after the initial assessment and will revisit the timeline as treatment progresses. Trauma healing is not linear; some periods will show rapid gains while others require consolidation.
Can trauma therapy help with physical symptoms?
Yes. Trauma is stored in the body as well as the mind — a phenomenon extensively documented in research and described in books like “The Body Keeps the Score.” Physical symptoms such as chronic pain, gastrointestinal distress, fatigue, and somatic anxiety are common in trauma survivors and often improve as the trauma is processed therapeutically. Our trauma therapists are trained in somatic awareness and incorporate body-based techniques alongside cognitive approaches to address trauma’s physical dimensions. If you have physical symptoms that have not responded to medical treatment, discussing trauma with your therapist may be relevant.
Healing is not linear — but it is possible.
Our trauma-informed team will match you with a clinician who specializes in your specific experience.