Trauma Therapy

Why a trauma-trained therapist matters

Trauma can come from a single event, like an accident or assault, or from experiences that happened over and over, like abuse, betrayal, or growing up in a chaotic home. Its effects often show up long afterward: anxiety, nightmares, feeling constantly on guard, shutting down emotionally, or struggling in relationships.

When you look for help, you will often see therapists describe themselves as trauma-informed. That is an important foundation. A trauma-informed therapist understands how common trauma is, recognizes how it affects people, and works to make therapy feel safe and respectful.

But being trauma-informed is not the same as being trauma-trained. A trauma-trained therapist has completed specialized training in specific, research-supported treatments designed to help people heal from trauma, and knows how to guide you through them safely. It is a bit like the difference between a family doctor who understands a heart condition and a cardiologist who is trained to treat it.

That difference matters. Simply talking about a traumatic experience, without a structured approach, can sometimes leave people feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Trauma-focused treatments are designed to help your brain and body actually process what happened, so the memories lose their power and the symptoms ease.

Missy is trauma-trained

Missy is trained in three approaches to trauma treatment and will help you choose the one that fits you best. She can also provide a formal PTSD diagnosis using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5), the gold-standard assessment for PTSD.

Healing from trauma is possible. You don’t have to keep carrying it alone, and you don’t have to figure out where to start. Missy will walk alongside you at a pace that feels safe.