Trauma Counseling Boston
Trauma Therapy for Women and Teens
Trauma Therapy for Women and Teens: Healing, Empowerment, and Growth through evidence-based treatment
Trauma can have a profound and lasting impact on an individual’s life, particularly for women and adolescent girls who experience anxiety, loss, or abuse. If you or someone you know has been impacted by trauma, seeking help can feel daunting, but it’s also the first step toward healing. It is an incredibly brave step to consider reaching out for support. I specialize in providing compassionate, evidence-based trauma therapy for women and teens struggling with anxiety, PTSD, complex trauma, and other trauma-related disorders.
I use a combination of therapeutic approaches to meet each client’s unique needs, helping them process their experiences, regain their sense of self, and develop healthy coping skills. I am trained in and implement a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities that are tailored to each client’s unique needs. My therapeutic lens is informed by relational and feminist frameworks, which prioritize empowerment, social context, and a focus on personal and collective healing. Through trauma-informed care, I create a safe and supportive environment to facilitate your healing journey. Lastly, I integrate somatic therapy techniques to help regulate the nervous system, deepen emotional processing, and reconnect the mind and body for holistic healing.
Types of Trauma Disorders in the DSM-5
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) is the standard classification system used by clinicians and mental health professionals in the United States to diagnose mental health disorders. It provides clear diagnostic criteria for various mental health conditions, including trauma-related disorders. Licensed mental health professionals rely on the DSM-5 to assess symptoms, determine diagnoses, and guide treatment planning. The following is a list of all disorders that are included in the “Traum-and-Stress Related Disorders” category of the DSM-5-TR.
1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD is characterized by symptoms like intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance behaviors after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms often cause significant distress in daily life, including in relationships, work, and emotional regulation.
2. Acute Stress Disorder (ASD): Similar to PTSD, ASD occurs in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event. Symptoms include intrusive thoughts, dissociation, and anxiety, but they persist for a shorter period (usually 3 days to a month). If symptoms last longer than a month, a diagnosis of PTSD may be appropriate.
3. Adjustment Disorders: These occur when an individual has difficulty coping with a significant life change or stressful event, such as a divorce, moving, or job loss. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, and difficulties in social or occupational functioning.
4. Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED): These disorders typically develop in childhood due to early childhood neglect or inconsistent caregiving. RAD is characterized by difficulties forming healthy attachments, while DSED involves overly familiar behavior with strangers.
5.Prolonged grief disorder: This diagnosis is characterized by enduring grieving symptoms that last longer than 12 months. Other Trauma-Related Disorders: There are additional disorders related to trauma, including those related to a history of child abuse, neglect, and other forms of chronic stress.
Other Trauma-Related Disorders Not Captured Specifically under Trauma-and-Stressor Related Disorders Categories:
1. Dissociative Disorders: These include conditions like Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), where an individual may experience significant disruption in their sense of identity or consciousness, often as a result of severe trauma. This, (along with other dissociative disorders) are not listed specifically under “Trauma-and-Stress Related Disorders” in the DSM-5. Instead they are listed as their own category called “Dissociative Disorders”, but with the general understanding that DID is most often associated with past trauma.
2. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): Understanding Its Impact: While PTSD is well-recognized in the DSM-5, Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is not currently listed as an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, although it is a well-established condition. Instead, C-PTSD is considered a subtype of PTSD. However, it is now included in the most recent version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which is used globally by healthcare providers to diagnose medical and mental health conditions.
C-PTSD typically results from prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic events, such as ongoing abuse, domestic violence, or childhood neglect. Unlike PTSD, which can occur after a single traumatic event, C-PTSD involves more pervasive emotional and relational consequences. Individuals with C-PTSD often experience the following symptoms in addition to those seen in PTSD:
- Difficulty regulating emotions: Intense feelings of shame, guilt, anger, or hopelessness.- A negative self-image: Persistent feelings of worthlessness or being damaged.- Interpersonal difficulties: Challenges in forming or maintaining healthy relationships, or feeling disconnected from others.- Dissociation and detachment: Feeling numb, distant, or detached from reality.
While the official recognition of C-PTSD is still evolving, its inclusion in the ICD-11 validates its significance as a distinct diagnosis that requires specific treatment approaches.
Evidence-Based Trauma Treatments
As a licensed therapist with years of experience working with individuals facing trauma, I utilize evidence-based therapies to help you process and heal from your experiences. These therapeutic approaches are grounded in research and have been proven effective in treating trauma-related disorders.
1. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)TF-CBT is an evidence-based therapy designed specifically for trauma survivors, including teens and adults. It focuses on helping clients process their traumatic memories, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and develop healthier coping mechanisms. The approach emphasizes both emotional regulation and cognitive restructuring, allowing clients to reframe negative thought patterns that stem from trauma.
2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)EMDR is a powerful therapy that helps individuals process distressing memories by using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements. This therapy is particularly effective for those who have experienced trauma and may struggle to talk about their experiences in a traditional talk therapy setting. EMDR has been shown to help clients reprocess traumatic memories and integrate them into a healthier narrative, reducing emotional distress.
3. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)CPT is a form of cognitive therapy specifically developed for individuals with PTSD. It helps clients identify and challenge maladaptive thoughts related to their trauma, including self-blame, guilt, and shame. By helping clients reframe their beliefs about themselves and the world, CPT facilitates healing and a sense of empowerment.
4. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)I am certified in DBT, a treatment method developed for individuals with emotion regulation difficulties, often due to trauma. DBT focuses on helping clients tolerate distress, improve emotional regulation, and build healthier interpersonal skills. It’s especially effective for clients who experience intense emotional responses or struggle with self-destructive behaviors as a result of their trauma. I have also found that DBT methods are extremely effective for clients who present with complex-PTSD. However, DBT is not a trauma-processing therapy, it is a great system for supporting the stabilization stage of trauma therapy, and this is why I have it listed here.
Additional Therapeutic Healing Modality:
Somatic Therapy: Calming the Nervous System and Grounding in the BodyA key aspect of trauma therapy is addressing how trauma manifests not only in the mind but also in the body. Trauma often leaves a physical imprint on the nervous system, which can result in heightened arousal, chronic tension, or dissociation. That’s why somatic therapy techniques are an essential part of my treatment approach.
Somatic therapy recognizes that trauma is not only stored in the mind but also in the body. When trauma is experienced, the nervous system can become dysregulated, leading to physical symptoms like chronic tension, shallow breathing, and even dissociation ( a disruption or typical integration of behavior, memory, identity, consciousness, emotion, perception, body representation or motor control). Somatic techniques help calm the nervous system, restore balance, and reconnect the mind and body, supporting a holistic approach to healing.
Grounding exercises, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, humming, rocking and body scanning are just a few of the somatic practices I use to help clients regulate their physical and emotional states. These techniques are vital for emotional stabilization, especially in the early stages of trauma treatment, when it’s crucial to create a sense of safety and self-regulation before diving deeper into trauma processing.
By integrating somatic therapy into traditional trauma treatments like TF-CBT, EMDR, and DBT, I provide a comprehensive, mind-body approach to healing that helps you feel more grounded, present, and in control of your emotional and physical well-being.Integrating Relational and Feminist Therapy Lenses
My Lense and Approach
A unique aspect of my approach is my focus on relational and feminist therapeutic frameworks. I believe that trauma does not occur in isolation but within relational and societal contexts. As a therapist, I aim to address not only the trauma itself but also the broader social and relational factors that contribute to an individual’s healing journey.
In relational therapy, the therapeutic relationship becomes a key element of the healing process. This is especially critical for any complex-trauma treatment. I work with you to develop a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment where trust and understanding can flourish. This trust allows us to explore your experiences in-depth, in ways you likely have not considered before or held in awareness, promoting healing through a genuine therapeutic connection.
The feminist lens in therapy recognizes the impact of social systems, power dynamics, and gender-based inequalities on mental health. For many women, trauma may be compounded by societal pressures, cultural expectations, or gendered violence. By incorporating feminist principles, I work to challenge these power structures and help you reclaim your voice, autonomy, and strength. Even some psychology and counseling theories can hold elements of inequality, disproportionately placing blame on, and pathologizing women. Being trained with a feminist lens and critical psychology, helps me to note these systemic issues and challenge them so they do not continue to promote gender inequalities.
These approaches not only shape how I understand and respond to your struggles but also influence the ways in which we weave these lenses into trauma-focused treatments. Whether using TF-CBT, EMDR, or DBT, we can examine how gender, power, and relationships influence your experience of trauma and recovery.
These approaches not only shape how I understand and respond to your struggles but also influence the ways in which we weave these lenses into trauma-focused treatments. Whether using TF-CBT, EMDR, or DBT, we can examine how gender, power, and relationships influence your experience of trauma and recovery.
Stabilization: A Critical First Step in Trauma Therapy Before diving into the heart of trauma processing, it's crucial to begin with stabilization. Trauma therapy, especially when working with individuals who have experienced complex or prolonged trauma, should always start by establishing safety and stability. Stabilization is about creating a foundation of emotional regulation and self-care skills so that clients can safely engage with the traumatic memories and emotions without becoming overwhelmed. Stabilization involves several key components:- Building coping strategies: We work on tools like mindfulness, grounding exercises, and breathing techniques that allow you to manage distressing emotions.- Enhancing emotional regulation: Developing the ability to recognize and manage emotions is critical for trauma survivors.- Creating a sense of safety: This includes physical safety (creating a safe space), emotional safety (building trust in the therapeutic relationship) and safety within oneself (by utilizing somatic therapy techniques).- Building social supports: Strengthening relationships with supportive friends, family, or community members is important for healing. By starting with stabilization, we better ensure that you are equipped to handle the emotional weight of trauma therapy, allowing for a more effective and sustainable healing process.Moving Forward: Healing Begins Here Healing from trauma is not linear, but with the right support, it is absolutely possible. By integrating evidence-based practices like TF-CBT, EMDR, CPT and DBT with somatic techniques, relational, and feminist approaches, I offer a holistic, empowering path to recovery. The choice of which method to use from this tool box will be both yours and mine together. Each person requires a personalized treatment, which includes the decision on which modalities will be used and when. Whether you’re struggling with PTSD, complex or childhood trauma, or other related trauma disorders, my goal is to help you regain control of your life, rebuild your self-worth, and live with purpose and peace. If you’re ready to begin your journey toward healing, reach out today. We can work together to create the safety, support, and healing you deserve.
Telehealth is available for both trauma therapy for women and teens, ensuring that those who may feel hesitant about in-person therapy or have logistical constraints can still access high-quality care. Our virtual sessions offer the same therapeutic benefits, providing a safe space for healing from anywhere.