Trauma Therapy in Sacramento, CA
And online across California
It’s hard to find a way to write about trauma that’s universal when each traumatic experience, and the effect it has on you, is so deeply personal.
How we respond to trauma, and the person we become because of it, are greatly influenced by what happened and who or what is responsible.
If you’ve been through a traumatic event (or many), you may be feeling:
Numb
Overwhelmed
Alone
Hopeless
You may not know who to turn to for help or even know where to begin. Many of our clients come to us simply asking for a way to “feel better.” We want you to know: it’s okay to start wherever you are.
How do I know if I need trauma therapy?
Here are some common signs you might benefit from working with a trauma therapist:
You:
Struggle to maintain healthy relationships due to feeling unsafe connecting with your partner, insecurities, never ending worries, or irritability
Have trouble staying on task at work due to frequent anxiety and always feeling on edge
Fall behind in school due to difficulty concentrating and constant racing thoughts
Need to always be busy because resting feels unacceptable, and being in quiet spaces makes the noise in your head feel loud
Often feel overwhelmed by your emotions, like they’re controlling you instead of the other way around
If any of these resonate with you, you’re not alone and you’re not broken. Trauma therapy can be transformational in taking you from barely keeping your head above water to thriving in your relationships, career, and beyond.
What counts as trauma?
Trauma can be any event or situation that feels unsafe or unpredictable, which in turn causes your nervous system to feel overloaded. Some common examples include:
Being in an unhealthy or toxic relationship
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from a parent, sibling, relative, or partner
Living in an unsafe neighborhood
Sexual assault or harassment
Surviving a natural disaster such as a fire or hurricane
Emotional or physical neglect from a parent or caregiver
Being bullied or systematically excluded by peers or colleagues
Microaggressions about your race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religion, or disability status
What does unresolved trauma look like?
Unresolved trauma can manifest in many ways. Some common examples include:
Feeling isolated from the people around you
Intrusive thoughts, memories, and flashbacks
Frequent anger, frustration, and irritability
Self-doubt, or feeling like you can’t trust yourself or others
People-pleasing and feeling overly responsible for the feelings of others
Using alcohol, drugs, shopping, TV, or social media to numb your emotions and drown out the noise in your head
These are common and understandable ways to cope with something that shouldn’t have happened and isn’t your fault. But you deserve better. You deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion, and understanding, even from yourself. You deserve to have real strategies that actually help you heal on a deeper level, not just quick fixes.
You deserve to discover what life looks like when it’s not defined by what happened to you.
Why choose trauma therapy at Evoluer Counseling?
Personalized treatment: We honor the uniqueness of you and your story by tailoring therapy to your specific needs and preferences. Our therapists offer a variety of techniques to help you cope, recover, and heal, but you will always be in the driver’s seat during your sessions.
Strengths-based approach: We always assume you are doing the best with what you have. Many trauma survivors are met with criticism and shamed for the methods they’ve developed to survive the terrible things that have happened to them. That’s not us. We meet you with compassion and understanding and help you show the same to yourself.
Evidence-based and contemporary methods: We offer a variety of types of trauma therapy, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) which have been proven to help people reduce their symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and Brainspotting (BSP), which is a newer but extremely promising method of healing. Read below for more information on each.
Our approach to therapy
Brainspotting (BSP) - A breakthrough therapy that involves deep processing of memories, beliefs, and emotions that influence the relationship you have with yourself, the way you interact with others, and so much more.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) - A well-researched and highly effective type of therapy that helps you work through thoughts and beliefs about your traumatic experiences that are keeping you “stuck” in your trauma response. It can be completed in an average of 15 sessions and is a great option for people who want to work through trauma without having to relive every detail of it.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - We teach you a variety of coping skills to help you calm your body and mind, be more present in your daily life and relationships, and communicate your needs effectively. These skills can be used in a variety of settings for the rest of your life and are a great investment into your overall happiness and wellbeing.
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Not at all. Many people who see us for trauma therapy have some symptoms of post-traumatic stress but do not qualify for the full diagnosis of PTSD.
Symptoms like feeling on edge, having trouble relaxing, or worrying you’re a burden to those around you are common reasons people start trauma therapy.
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Yes! We’ll help your little one work through any difficult experiences they’ve been through and teach them helpful coping skills they can use for the rest of their life.
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No. While all of our therapists offer DBT, only Heather offers CPT and Brainspotting at this time.
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Yes! We offer in-person sessions at our office in Campus Commons neighborhood of Sacramento..
For those who prefer to join from home, we also offer virtual sessions to anyone in California.
Shame thrives in silence. Speaking your truth to someone who cares can be life-changing. You’ve suffered alone for too long, let us help you begin to move forward, one step at a time.