Evidence-based therapies — including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) — have transformed trauma treatment by offering structured, research-backed approaches that help clients process traumatic memories and rebuild healthy coping mechanisms.

How do these therapies work?

EMDR

EMDR facilitates the reprocessing of distressing memories using bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements or taps. This process enables clients to integrate trauma in a way that reduces emotional intensity without requiring detailed verbal recounting of events. EMDR is recommended as a first-line treatment for PTSD by the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, and the VA.

TF-CBT

Trauma-Focused CBT combines cognitive restructuring, gradual exposure, and skill-building. It often involves caregivers in treatment, addressing both the child's and the family system's needs — making it particularly effective for children and adolescents with trauma histories.

CPT

Cognitive Processing Therapy is an evidence-based protocol used to process trauma memories and examine changes in worldview stemming from trauma exposure. It targets the "stuck points" — distorted beliefs about safety, trust, power, esteem, and intimacy — that trauma can crystallize. CPT is the number-one treatment used by the VA for PTSD.

Additional effective therapies

Somatic Experiencing releases trauma stored in the body through movement and awareness, addressing the physiological dimension of trauma that talk therapy alone may not fully reach.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) enhances emotion regulation and distress tolerance, particularly valuable for trauma survivors with significant emotional dysregulation.

Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) structures trauma recounting within a coherent life narrative, helping clients integrate traumatic experiences into a broader sense of self and history.

Brainspotting is a brain-based therapy that identifies, processes, and releases trauma stored in the subcortical brain — often effective for trauma that is difficult to access through language-based approaches.

Choosing the right therapy

Therapy selection depends on trauma type, client preferences, and clinical presentation. There is no single correct answer — which is why a thorough assessment matters so much.

One client who experienced EMDR through our Center for Trauma Care & Healing shared: "My PTSD was really bad even after working with another therapist. It wasn't till I came to this program and met Director Anastasia who introduced me to EMDR that things changed and improved for me to the point that there is 'hope' and I am living a much better future. EMDR really helped me understand and redirect my focus about past events that had negatively impacted my whole life."

Integrated, comprehensive care

Our clinicians integrate these therapies within a trauma-informed framework, coordinating with psychiatric services, support groups, and aftercare to optimize recovery outcomes. No single modality is used in isolation — each treatment plan is built around the individual.

Book a trauma recovery assessment to learn which evidence-based therapy is best suited to your needs and history.