If you’re looking to find a trauma therapist near me, here are some ways to think about the right professional to support your journey.

Trauma is an intense emotional response to an experience that can stay with us through the years through unexpected emotions, flashbacks, and physical sensations. Many experiences can cause trauma but some common examples include assault or abuse, particularly in childhood, combat exposure, a serious accident, or death experiences. However, trauma is defined by how the event makes you feel, not what the event is. Trauma therapy doesn’t remove the past and its presence in your life, but it can help reduce the frequency and intensity by which your past affects you now. 

1. Understanding What a Trauma Therapist Does and Exploring an Approach

Recommendations from major national and international organizations like the World Health Organization, American Psychological Association, and Department of Veterans Affairs & Department of Defense tend to recommend two approaches to treating trauma disorders: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). 

CBT: CBT emphasizes thoughts and behaviors, so you’ll be identifying distorted patterns of thinking (“I am and will always be bad” versus “my parent told me I was bad because of their own issues”), and rebalancing towards more realistic and fair evaluations of yourself. Ultimately, the goal is fewer harmful behaviors. Additionally, you might receive psychoeducation about why and how the traumatic event still impacts you today, process how you can recognize and reframe unhelpful thoughts, and reframe the narrative of your trauma, understanding how the story of what happened and what came after reflects your strengths as a person. You can learn more about Trauma-Focused CBT here. 

EMDR: this therapy uses bilateral stimulation (often moving your eyes back and forth) alongside recall of a trauma memory in order to help your brain continue its natural healing process. Often clients will quickly begin experiencing the memory and their feelings about it differently than where they’ve been stuck for years. Differentiated from CBT, EMDR tends to require less vivid recall and re-experiencing of the memory, not requiring you to talk in detail about the trauma. EMDR makes traumatic memories more manageable, by helping you be in relationship with those memories, rather than controlled by them. You can learn more about the experience of EMDR Therapy here. 

2. Research Trauma Therapists Near You Who Work in that Mode

• Use Online Directories: Websites like Psychology Today, TherapyDen, and GoodTherapy have directories where you filter therapists based on their specialties and location. These platforms provide detailed profiles, including the therapist’s approach and qualifications. For example, if you wanted to look at virtual therapists based in Philadelphia who do trauma work with EMDR, you might use this search refinement: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/pa/philadelphia?category=online-counseling&spec=19&spec=301
• Review Professional Associations: Professional organizations often have directories of licensed therapists who have been certified by a particular process. For example, here is a list of certified Trauma-Focused CBT providers based in Philadelphia: https://tfcbt.org/therapists/?tfcbt_n=1&tfcbt_s=&tfcbt_c=Philadelphia&tfcbt_st=PA&tfcbt_z=
• Ask for Referrals: Reach out to your primary care physician or other healthcare providers for recommendations. Friends or family members who have had positive experiences with therapy might also offer suggestions.

3. Consider Logistics

Practical considerations are also important in your decision:

• Location: Find a therapist who is conveniently located or offers virtual therapy if you prefer or need remote sessions. Think about where and when is a good time for you to open up your trauma, potentially feeling most safe or convenient in a particular place or at a particular time. 

• Affordability: confirm if the therapist is financially accessible for you, whether they offer fees that you can afford (either at their public rate or a sliding scale), accept in-network insurance for a negotiated rate by your insurer, or out-of-network insurance for which you may receive a reimbursement from your insurer. 

• Availability: Check if the therapist’s schedule aligns with your availability. 

4. Schedule an Initial Meeting, often called a Consultation

Once you have a list of potential therapists, schedule an initial consultation to get a sense of their approach and how comfortable you feel with them. Many therapists offer a free initial conversation for 15-20 minutes to explore how well you fit with each other. Use this opportunity to ask questions and see if you feel comfortable with this person. 

5. Trust Your Instincts

The therapeutic relationship is considered the most crucial piece to your healing process. Find a trauma therapist who you feel safe with and understood by. You’re taking a courageous step seeking help for trauma. With the right therapist, you can work through your trauma and move towards a healthier, more fulfilling life.

 

Next steps

Please utilize the resources above as a way to explore finding the right trauma therapist for you, and you can learn more about our therapists at Be Well Therapy Group right here.