Trauma Counseling

Yes! We encourage you to book a FREE 20-minute consultation with the therapist you want to work with. In that call, you can discuss what brings you to therapy, what you hope to get out of therapy, and how your new therapist can help you.

Trauma counseling is grounded in the neuroscience of what happens (or does not happen) to the human brain during a traumatic event. In trauma therapy, we work with you to help form new pathways in your brain that catalyze this organ’s natural healing processes.

And yes, that can be done through “talk therapy.” The brain is amazing that way. When we talk, we will look at the different approaches (CPT, EMDR, or TF-CBT) and determine which is best for you.

Trauma therapy is surprisingly short-term. CPT (the most structured tool we use) is a 12-session program. EMDR and TF-CBT are less structured and can last between 8 and 26 sessions.

We look for two things to change. First, you will take various assessments meant to gauge how many symptoms you experience and at what severity. Over time, we expect the scoring on these assessments to improve. Second, we will talk about what things you cannot do now that you want to be able to do later. As therapy progresses, you will likely notice improvement here too. So over time, your assessment scores get better and your ability to do stuff (that is, your ability to function) gets better too.

Yes, it is normal to be nervous. Reaching out to your new therapist fills many with a strange sense of vulnerability. We know how hard that first call can be (because we’ve made that call for ourselves at one time or another), and we want to make it as easy for you as possible. 

We promise that we are not analyzing you or judging you. We promise we can’t “see into your soul.” 

We can work with you over time to discover your strengths and your unique dance with thoughts, emotions, and behaviors

Your first session will start either by meeting up in our office or logging onto a secure, private, and online meeting room. 

If in person, you’ll have a code to get into the front door. There is a quiet waiting area with water and Jolly Ranchers for you to enjoy. 

When your appointment time comes, your therapist will bring you back to a quiet, comfortable room. 

In our first conversation together, your therapist’s primary goal is to get to know you better and start a partnership. You are a unique and amazing person, and we refuse to make assumptions about you or your experience. 

We’ll also give you the opportunity to ask us anything. 

We are also likely to propose a direction for moving forward and see how that sounds to you. 

Many clients report feeling a sense of relief and hope when that first hour has passed. We hope you will too.

Probably. Much of the work of therapy happens outside the counseling room. This is usually a request for you to complete a form or take an action each day. A typical assignment takes about 5 to 10 minutes per day. This doubles the amount of time each week you are setting aside to feel better (from one hour in session to 2 hours total). Research in CBT and CPT shows that doing homework improves your results.

No. But we know some folks we trust if you need medication. We will work with you regardless.

You can cry. (I did when I went to therapy). You don’t have to cry. Not everyone does. Sometimes counseling surfaces big emotions because your nervous system recognizes that you are at long last in a safe enough place to actually let them be there. No matter how you express your emotions, know you won’t be judged for it.

When your goals are met, you’ll have some choices. Some taper to monthly or even semi-quarterly meetings. Others ask to go to an “as needed” status, whereby they are no longer making regular appointments but maintain client status for a time (this option is time-limited and requires your therapist's approval). Some ask to be discharged. 

The ultimate goal is not to be dependent on your counselor but to learn how to practice resilience skills on your own.  We’re not here to make you a forever client. We are here to be a support and help as long as you need us.

Chad Patterson, LCSW - $160 per session. 

Cameron Tuggle, LPC-A - $125

We do not bill insurance directly. Many policies allow you to file for out-of-network benefits using a superbill automatically generated each month. Please contact your insurance provider to see if you have this benefit. 

As time is reserved exclusively for you by our therapists, we require a 48-hour notice to cancel a session. Exceptions to this policy are considered on a case-by-case basis