Trauma & Emotion Therapy
“You have control over what you share, when you share it, and how deeply we explore certain experiences.”
- Annia Ibarra
Healing From What Has Shaped You
Some experiences leave a lasting impact long after they have happened.
Trauma is not only about what happened, it is also about how those experiences continue to affect the way you see yourself, relate to others, and respond to the world around you.
You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed by emotions, disconnected from yourself, stuck in patterns you cannot seem to change, or carrying experiences that feel difficult to process.
Therapy can provide a safe and supportive space to explore these experiences, understand your emotional responses, and begin creating a new relationship with yourself.
At Author Your Story Counseling, I provide trauma-informed therapy using an IFS-informed approach, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), and evidence-based interventions to help clients process painful experiences and build greater emotional awareness.
Therapy is available in English and Spanish.
When Trauma Therapy May Be Helpful
You may benefit from trauma therapy if you experience:
Feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions
Difficulty trusting others or feeling safe
Patterns of avoidance or shutting down
Persistent shame, guilt, or self-criticism
Relationship difficulties
Strong emotional reactions that feel difficult to control
Feeling disconnected from yourself or others
Difficulty understanding your own reactions
Painful memories that continue affecting your present life
Challenges related to childhood experiences or past relationships
Trauma can impact the way we think, feel, behave, and connect with others. Therapy can help you better understand these patterns and develop new ways of responding.
Understanding Trauma and Emotional Responses
Your Reactions Often Have a Story
Many people feel frustrated by their own emotional responses:
"Why do I react this way?"
"Why can't I just move on?"
"Why do certain situations affect me so deeply?"
Trauma therapy helps explore these reactions with curiosity rather than judgment.
Sometimes behaviors that feel frustrating or confusing developed as ways to protect you during difficult experiences.
Together, we work to understand those protective patterns and create healthier ways to cope.
My Approach to Trauma & Emotional Healing
Healing from painful experiences requires more than simply talking about what happened. Trauma can impact emotions, relationships, beliefs about yourself, and the ways you respond to stress.
Together, we focus on creating safety, increasing self-awareness, strengthening emotional regulation, and developing tools that support meaningful change.
Trauma-Informed Care
Creating Safety Before Processing Pain
Trauma therapy begins with establishing safety, trust, and a strong therapeutic relationship.
We move at a pace that respects your experiences and readiness.
Trauma-informed care means:
Your experiences are taken seriously
Your reactions make sense in context
You have choice and control in the therapy process
Healing does not require rushing or reliving painful experiences
Therapy is a collaborative process focused on helping you feel more connected, empowered, and grounded.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)-Informed Therapy
Understanding the Different Parts of Yourself
An IFS-informed approach recognizes that we all have different parts of ourselves that develop in response to our experiences.
You may have:
A part that tries to stay in control
A part that avoids difficult emotions
A part that feels afraid or hurt
A part that pushes you to keep going no matter what
Rather than viewing these parts as problems, we approach them with compassion and curiosity.
This process can help you understand yourself more deeply and develop a stronger sense of internal safety and self-compassion.
Emotion-Focused (EFT)-Informed Therapy
Understanding and Processing Emotions
Emotions carry important information about our needs, experiences, and relationships.
An EFT-informed approach helps you explore emotions that may feel overwhelming, confusing, or difficult to express.
Together, we work toward:
Identifying emotional patterns
Understanding underlying needs
Processing painful experiences
Developing healthier emotional responses
Building a more compassionate relationship with yourself
The goal is not to eliminate emotions, it is to learn how to understand and work with them.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-Informed Skills
Building Emotional Regulation and Coping Tools
When emotions feel intense, it can become difficult to think clearly, communicate needs, or respond in ways that align with your values.
DBT-informed skills provide practical tools to help you navigate difficult emotions and stressful situations.
Together, we may work on:
Emotional regulation
Distress tolerance
Mindfulness
Managing overwhelming thoughts and feelings
Improving communication
Creating healthier responses during moments of stress
These skills can be especially helpful for clients who experience emotional intensity, relationship challenges, or difficulty feeling grounded during stressful situations.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-Based Interventions
Understanding the Connection Between Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors
Trauma and difficult experiences can influence the way we interpret ourselves, others, and the world around us.
CBT-based interventions help identify patterns such as:
Self-critical thoughts
Fear-based thinking
Negative beliefs about yourself
Avoidance patterns
Behaviors that may no longer serve you
By increasing awareness of these patterns, you can begin developing new perspectives and responses that support healing and growth.
Mindfulness and Nervous System Regulation Strategies
Reconnecting With Yourself in the Present Moment
Trauma can sometimes leave the nervous system feeling stuck in states of heightened stress, shutdown, or feeling disconnected.
Mindfulness-based strategies and grounding techniques can help support greater awareness and connection with the present moment.
These tools may include:
Breathing exercises
Grounding techniques
Body awareness
Emotional awareness practices
Self-compassion exercises
The goal is to help you build a stronger sense of stability and connection with yourself.
Attachment-Informed and Relational Therapy
Understanding How Experiences Shape Relationships
Our past experiences can influence how we connect with others, communicate needs, and respond during moments of vulnerability.
An attachment-informed perspective explores patterns related to:
Trust
Emotional closeness
Boundaries
Fear of rejection
Relationship expectations
Feeling safe with others
Through a supportive therapeutic relationship, we explore these patterns and develop healthier ways of connecting.
Integrating Approaches for Your Unique Story
Every person's experiences and healing process are different. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all.
Together, we identify the approaches and tools that best support your goals, whether that means processing emotions, understanding patterns, building coping skills, improving relationships, or developing a stronger connection with yourself.
Your experiences are part of your story, but they do not have to define every chapter moving forward.
Who I Work With
Trauma and emotion-focused therapy may be helpful for:
Adults
Adults navigating:
Childhood experiences
Relationship wounds
Anxiety and emotional overwhelm
Life transitions
Self-worth struggles
Difficult patterns they want to understand
Children & Teens
Teens experiencing:
Anxiety
Identity challenges
Emotional intensity
Family stress
Difficult transitions
Relationship struggles
Having support during these changes can help families adapt while maintaining connection.
What to Expect in Trauma Focused Therapy
Beginning trauma therapy is a personal decision, and the process looks different for everyone.
Early sessions focus on:
Understanding your story
Identifying your goals
Building trust and safety
Exploring patterns and emotional responses
Developing tools for support
Therapy does not require sharing every detail before you are ready. Healing happens through a collaborative process that respects your pace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have experienced a major traumatic event to benefit from trauma therapy?
No. Trauma can include experiences that have impacted your sense of safety, identity, relationships, or emotional well-being. Therapy focuses on how experiences continue affecting you today.
Will I Have to Talk About My Trauma in Every Session?
No. Trauma therapy is not about constantly revisiting painful experiences.
While processing what happened can be meaningful when you feel ready, therapy also focuses on helping you feel supported in the present.
Some sessions may involve exploring past experiences, while others may focus on current challenges, emotions, relationships, coping strategies, or building skills that help you feel more grounded.
The goal is not to push you into difficult conversations before you are ready. The goal is to create a safe, supportive space where you can process your experiences in a way that feels manageable and meaningful.
Will trauma therapy require me to talk about painful memories?
Not necessarily. Trauma-informed therapy respects your readiness and focuses on creating safety, understanding patterns, and building emotional resources.
Do I have to talk about my trauma to benefit from therapy?
No. You do not have to share every detail of your experiences in order to benefit from therapy. Many people begin by focusing on current emotions, coping strategies, relationships, and understanding patterns that developed over time. As trust develops and you feel ready, we can explore deeper experiences at your own pace.
What therapy approaches do you use for trauma?
My approach incorporates IFS-informed therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), CBT, DBT skills, and trauma-informed care based on your individual needs.
Do you provide bilingual trauma therapy?
Yes. Therapy is available in English and Spanish.
You Are More Than What Happened To You
Your experiences have shaped your story, but they do not have to define every chapter moving forward.
Therapy can help you understand your emotions, heal from painful experiences, and create a stronger connection with yourself.
At Author Your Story Counseling, trauma therapy provides a compassionate space to explore your experiences and begin building a future that feels more aligned with who you are.
Schedule your first session today.
