TRACY E. HILL, Ph.D. & Associates LLC

What is trauma & PTSD therapy?

Trauma and PTSD therapy helps people understand and reduce the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical effects of distressing or overwhelming experiences. Trauma does not affect everyone in the same way. Some people experience intrusive memories or nightmares, while others notice avoidance, anxiety, emotional numbness, irritability, difficulty trusting others, or a persistent sense of being unsafe.

Treatment is individualized and may include evidence-based trauma-focused approaches designed to help reduce symptoms, process traumatic experiences, and strengthen healthier patterns of coping.

How trauma therapy can help

Trauma can leave your mind and body responding as though danger is still present, even when the immediate threat has passed. This is commonly called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) if it persists for more than six months.

Therapy can help you recognize triggers, understand trauma-related reactions, reduce avoidance, challenge beliefs that developed because of traumatic experiences, and develop healthier ways of responding in the present.

Treatment should be tailored to your history, symptoms, goals, and needs. Trauma and PTSD therapy is not about forcing you to relive everything that happened. It is about helping you reclaim the past so that it has less control over your life today.

Evidence-based approaches to trauma & PTSD treatment

Effective trauma treatment is more than simply talking about what happened. Our clinicians draw from evidence-based approaches based on each client's needs, treatment goals, and the therapist's training.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) helps identify and examine beliefs that can develop after trauma, including beliefs about safety, trust, control, self-esteem, responsibility, and relationships.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured trauma-focused therapy that helps people process distressing memories, thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations associated with traumatic experiences.

Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy & Psychedelic Integration therapy is an emerging therapy as a potential treatment for trauma-related symptoms and PTSD. Psilocybin is being studied both with psychological support and in combination with established trauma treatments such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Early findings are promising, but research specifically examining psilocybin for PTSD is still developing. When appropriate and legally permitted, psychedelic preparation and integration can help individuals prepare for, make meaning of, and incorporate insights from psychedelic experiences into ongoing therapeutic work.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and CBT-based approaches can help identify unhelpful thought and behavior patterns, reduce avoidance, build coping skills, and develop healthier responses to trauma reminders.

There is no single trauma therapy that is right for everyone. Your therapist will work with you to determine an approach that fits your symptoms, history, goals, and readiness for trauma-focused work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at info@centerstreetcenter.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

How do I know if trauma therapy is right for me?

If experiences from the past continue to affect your sleep, mood, relationships, work, concentration, sense of safety, or daily life, talking with a therapist may be helpful. You do not need to have a formal PTSD diagnosis to seek trauma therapy.

What types of trauma do you treat?

Our clinicians work with people affected by experiences such as childhood trauma, abuse or neglect, assault, relationship violence, accidents, medical trauma, traumatic loss, military or first-responder experiences, and repeated or complex trauma. Treatment is individualized because no two people respond to trauma in exactly the same way.

How long does trauma therapy usually take?

There is no single timeline. Some evidence-based trauma treatments are structured and relatively time-limited, while other people benefit from longer-term therapy. Treatment length depends on your history, symptoms, goals, clinical needs, and the therapeutic approach being used.

Is this therapy covered by insurance?

Most likely. Coverage varies by insurance plan, provider network, diagnosis, medical necessity, and the specific service being provided. Our office can help you determine whether we participate with your insurance plan, and we recommend confirming your behavioral health benefits with your insurer.

Can I do trauma therapy virtually?

Yes. Some trauma-focused treatments can be provided through telehealth when clinically appropriate. Availability depends on your location, clinician licensure, the treatment being provided, and your individual clinical needs. Even EMDR can be done through virtual sessions with our clinicians.