TRAUMA AND PTSD THERAPY
IN LOS ANGELES
What happened to you still matters — and it does not have to define you
Trauma is not only what happened. It is what your nervous system learned in order to survive it. That is why you can know, logically, that you are safe now and still feel your chest tighten, your thoughts race, or your body brace for something that is no longer happening.
If you are living with the aftermath of a traumatic experience, therapy can help those memories stop running the present. At Playa Vista Counseling, we provide trauma-informed care for adults and teens across Los Angeles.
What trauma and PTSD can look like
Trauma can follow a single event or build over years. Common signs include:
Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
Avoiding people, places, or conversations that bring it back
Feeling constantly on edge, watchful, or easily startled
Trouble sleeping or concentrating
Emotional numbness, or feeling disconnected from yourself or others
Irritability, anger, or reactions that feel bigger than the moment
Shame, guilt, or blaming yourself for what happened
Physical symptoms like tension, headaches, or stomach problems
The trauma we help clients work through
Trauma is not limited to combat or catastrophe. We support clients healing from childhood abuse and neglect, sexual assault, accidents, medical trauma and difficult diagnoses, birth trauma, sudden loss, domestic violence, community violence, and the ongoing impact of the Los Angeles wildfires. Complex trauma — the kind that accumulates over years in unsafe relationships or environments — is also very much within our scope.
Our approach to trauma therapy
We do not believe healing requires reliving every detail. Our therapists are trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a well-researched, structured approach that helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional charge. One of the things clients appreciate most about EMDR is that you do not have to give a detailed verbal account of what happened in order to benefit.
We also draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and nervous system regulation skills. Before any processing work begins, we spend time building safety, trust, and stability — because pacing is part of the treatment, not a delay to it.
You stay in control the entire time
Trauma takes away choice. Trauma therapy gives it back. You decide what to work on and how quickly to move, and we check in constantly to make sure the work stays within what you can tolerate. Our role is to provide a safe, caring and supportive environment while your own capacity to heal does the rest.
We offer trauma therapy in Los Angeles and secure virtual sessions throughout California, including evening and weekend availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Trauma describes the experience and its lasting impact, while PTSD is a specific diagnosis involving symptoms like flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance, and mood changes that persist over time. You don’t need a PTSD diagnosis to benefit from trauma therapy — if something from your past is still affecting your present, that’s reason enough.
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No. Approaches like EMDR are effective without a detailed verbal retelling of what happened. We always move at your pace and prioritize your sense of safety, and you stay in control of what you share and when.
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EMDR is one of the most well-researched treatments for trauma and PTSD, and it’s widely recognized by major health organizations. We EMDR is one of the most well-researched treatments for trauma and PTSD, and it’s widely recognized by major health organizations. We also integrate CBT, Internal Family Systems, and nervous system regulation skills depending on what you’re working through.also integrate CBT, Internal Family Systems, and nervous system regulation skills depending on what you’re working through.
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Yes. Trauma doesn’t expire, and neither does your ability to heal from it. Many clients come to us decades after the original experience and still find meaningful relief.
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It varies with the nature and complexity of what you’re working through. Relief from a single distressing memory can come in a handful of sessions, while layered or long-standing trauma usually takes longer. We’ll talk through realistic expectations for your situation.
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Some clients notice emotions surfacing as processing begins, which is why we build safety and coping tools first and pace the work carefully. You should never feel flooded or pushed — if something feels like too much, we slow down.Some clients notice emotions surfacing as processing begins, which is why we build safety and coping tools first and pace the work carefully. You should never feel flooded or pushed — if something feels like too much, we slow down.