Pergola
For what's still here, long after it happened

Therapy for Trauma & PTSD

Trauma is a word that covers a lot of ground. It can be one specific event — a car accident, a medical emergency, an assault, a loss. It can be a slow-motion thing that lasted years — a childhood, a relationship, an institution that asked too much of you. It can be something you didn't even call trauma until a therapist helped you name it.

The therapists on this page are trained in approaches that were specifically developed for trauma work: EMDR, somatic experiencing, sensorimotor psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), trauma-focused CBT. These aren't just talk therapies — they're designed to work with the way trauma lives in the body and the nervous system, not only in the story you tell about it.

Good trauma work isn't about reliving the worst moments. It's about building enough safety, slowly, that the parts of you still carrying those moments can come forward and be met. Most of the work is gentler than people fear. All of it moves at the pace that's right for you.

2 therapists offering trauma / ptsd therapy
Sarah Chen, LMFT, therapist in Bay Area
Sarah Chen, LMFT
Hayes Valley, San Francisco

Helping adults navigate anxiety and life transitions

AnxietyLife TransitionsTrauma / PTSD
Accepting new clients$220/session
Priya Raman, PsyD, therapist in Seattle
Priya Raman, PsyD
Capitol Hill, Seattle

Trauma-focused care for first and second-generation adults

Trauma / PTSDFamilyAnxiety
Accepting new clients$275/session

Common questions

Do I need to have a PTSD diagnosis to do trauma therapy?+
No. Many people doing trauma therapy don't meet the clinical threshold for PTSD and never will. If something from your past is still affecting how you feel, think, or relate to people now, it's reasonable to work on it in therapy — with or without a formal diagnosis.
What is EMDR and does it actually work?+
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured trauma therapy that uses bilateral stimulation — eye movements, taps, or tones — while you briefly recall a traumatic memory. It has strong research support for single-incident PTSD (accidents, assaults, medical events) and is increasingly used for complex/developmental trauma. It's one of the therapies the VA and WHO recommend for PTSD. It's not magic — the work still takes time — but it can move things that talk therapy alone doesn't.
What's the difference between PTSD and complex trauma?+
PTSD is typically tied to a specific event or events and shows up with symptoms like intrusive memories, hyperarousal, and avoidance. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is what often results from prolonged trauma — especially in childhood — and tends to also affect identity, self-worth, and relationships. Many therapists here work with both. Complex trauma typically takes longer and benefits from approaches like IFS, somatic work, and attachment-focused therapy alongside EMDR.
Will I have to talk about the worst things that happened to me?+
Only when and if you're ready. Trauma-informed therapists spend the first phase of the work building resources, stability, and nervous system regulation — not diving into traumatic memories. Nothing gets processed until you have the capacity for it. A good trauma therapist will tell you this in session one, and will pace the work to your nervous system rather than pushing past it.
How long does trauma therapy take?+
It depends on the shape of the trauma. A single-incident PTSD case with EMDR might take 8–16 sessions. Complex or developmental trauma typically takes longer — often a year or more of weekly work — because the goal isn't just symptom reduction, it's a reorganization of how you relate to yourself. Your therapist will talk with you about a realistic timeline.

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