Trauma Therapy & Healing
in Brooklyn, NY and online
A Compassionate Path Forward
If you’re reading this page, you may be carrying experiences that have profoundly impacted you. First and foremost, we want you to know: you are not alone and healing is possible. At Mind Body Psychiatry, we provide a safe, supportive environment where your experiences are honored, your resilience is recognized, and your healing journey is approached with deep care and expertise.
Trauma affects each person uniquely—there is no “right way” to respond to difficult life experiences. Whatever you’re feeling is valid, and however your mind and body have adapted deserves understanding, not judgment. Our diverse team of trauma specialists offers multiple pathways to healing, meeting you exactly where you are.
Understanding Trauma
More Than What Happened—How Your System Responded
Trauma isn’t defined solely by what happened to you, but by how these experiences overwhelmed your capacity to cope at the time. When faced with overwhelming threat or distress, your nervous system activates powerful survival responses that can continue long after the danger has passed.
Trauma can result from many experiences, including:
- Single-incident events (accidents, assaults, medical procedures, sudden losses)
- Ongoing or repeated experiences (childhood abuse, domestic violence, combat)
- Systemic or collective trauma (discrimination, historical trauma, displacement)
- Developmental trauma (childhood neglect, attachment disruptions)
- Vicarious or secondary trauma (witnessing others’ suffering, professional exposure)
These experiences can affect how you feel in your body, how you relate to others, how you view yourself and the world, and how you navigate daily life. Trauma responses aren’t signs of weakness—they’re normal reactions to abnormal circumstances, adaptations that once helped you survive.
Common Trauma Responses
Trauma can manifest in many ways, including:
- Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
- Feeling constantly on alert or easily startled
- Difficulty feeling safe or trusting others
- Overwhelming emotions or emotional numbness
- Physical symptoms without clear medical cause
- Disrupted sleep or concentration difficulties
- Avoiding reminders of traumatic experiences
- Feeling disconnected from yourself or surroundings
- Relationship challenges or isolation
- Negative beliefs about yourself or the world
If you recognize these experiences, please know they make sense given what you’ve been through. Your system is doing its best to protect you—and with the right support, these responses can transform.
When the Body Keeps the Score: Mind–Body Trauma Care
Trauma isn’t only in memory—it lives in the nervous system and the body. At the Mind Body Psychiatry, we integrate psychotherapy with somatic practices so healing can reach both your story and your physiology.
Nervous System Dysregulation
Feeling stuck “on” (hyperarousal) or “off” (shutdown) is common after trauma. We pair trauma-focused talk therapy with grounding, breath work, and gentle vagal-toning to restore regulation.
Sleep Disruption & Nightmares
Nights can reactivate threat responses. We combine targeted trauma therapy with somatic downshifts and simple sleep rituals to help your system settle into restorative rest.
Triggers, Flashbacks & Dissociation
Everyday cues can pull you out of the present. We map triggers collaboratively and teach body-based orientation (feet, breath, sightlines) to return to safety faster.
Chronic Tension & Pain
The body often “guards” after trauma. We integrate meaning-making in psychotherapy with paced movement and micro-release techniques to unwind defensive bracing without overwhelm.
Our Approach to Trauma Healing
Personalized, Phased & Integrative
At Mind Body Psychiatry, we understand that healing from trauma isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our approach is:
Client-Centered
You determine the pace and direction of your healing. We'll never pressure you to discuss or process experiences before you're ready.
Phase-Based
We recognize that trauma work unfolds in stages, typically beginning with establishing safety and stability before processing traumatic material.
Strengths-Based
We honor the resilience and wisdom that has helped you survive and focus on building upon your innate capacity for healing.
Culturally Responsive
We acknowledge how cultural identity, systemic injustice, and historical context shape trauma experiences and healing pathways.
Trauma-Informed
Every aspect of our practice recognizes the prevalence of trauma and is designed to minimize the risk of retraumatization.
Mind-Body Integrated
We address how trauma affects both psychological and physiological systems, working with the whole person.
Above all, our approach is collaborative. You are the expert on your experience, and we bring expertise in facilitating healing. Together, we create a path forward that respects your unique needs and builds on your inherent capacity for growth and restoration.
Our Trauma Treatment Modalities
Multiple Pathways to Healing
Our clinicians are trained in multiple evidence-based approaches to trauma healing. During your assessment, we’ll collaborate to determine which modalities might best support your specific needs and preferences:
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
This structured approach helps identify and transform trauma-related thoughts and beliefs while providing practical skills for managing distress. TF-CBT can help you:
- Recognize connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
- Develop effective coping strategies for trauma symptoms
- Process traumatic memories in a controlled, supported way
- Reclaim a sense of safety and agency in your life
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - EMDR
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements, taps, or tones) to help your brain process traumatic memories that remain “stuck” in the nervous system. This approach can:
- Allow traumatic memories to be processed without requiring detailed verbal recounting
- Reduce the emotional charge of difficult memories
- Create new associations and perspectives related to traumatic experiences
- Address both recent incidents and childhood experiences
Somatic Therapies
Recognizing that trauma is held in the body, somatic approaches focus on restoring safety and regulation in the nervous system through:
- Developing awareness of body sensations and responses
- Learning to recognize and expand your “window of tolerance”
- Practicing self-regulation skills for moments of distress
- Gently releasing trapped trauma energy through mindful movement and awareness
- Restoring a sense of safety and comfort in your physical experience
Internal Family Systems - IFS
IFS views the mind as naturally containing many different “parts” or subpersonalities that develop to protect us from pain. This compassionate approach helps:
- Identify protective parts that developed in response to trauma
- Access your innate capacity for self-healing and integration
- Develop self-leadership and internal harmony
- Transform the relationship with trauma-related parts rather than fighting against them
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Trauma
DBT provides concrete skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness that are particularly helpful for complex trauma. This approach offers:
- Practical tools for managing overwhelming emotions
- Strategies to ground yourself during flashbacks or distress
- Skills for navigating relationships affected by trauma
- Mindfulness practices adapted for trauma survivors
Mindfulness-Based Approaches
Trauma can disconnect us from the present moment. Mindfulness practices—adapted specifically for trauma survivors—can help:
- Develop a compassionate relationship with your experience
- Learn to distinguish between past trauma and present safety
- Cultivate resources for self-regulation and grounding
- Build capacity to stay present even with difficult emotions
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for Trauma
For some individuals with treatment-resistant trauma symptoms, ketamine-assisted therapy may offer a pathway to healing by:
- Creating a temporary shift in consciousness that can interrupt entrenched trauma patterns
- Facilitating access to difficult material in a less threatening way
- Promoting neuroplasticity that supports the integration of new perspectives
- Providing relief from treatment-resistant depression or anxiety that often accompanies trauma
The Trauma Healing Journey
What to Expect in Trauma Therapy
While each person’s healing path is unique, trauma therapy often includes:
Phase 1: Safety and Stabilization
- Building a trusting therapeutic relationship
- Learning skills to manage overwhelming emotions
- Developing resources for grounding and self-regulation
- Creating safety in your daily life
- Understanding how trauma has affected you
Phase 2: Processing and Integration
- Gradually processing traumatic material at your pace
- Making meaning of your experiences
- Transforming trauma-related beliefs and patterns
- Reclaiming parts of yourself that may have been disconnected
Phase 3: Growth and Reconnection
- Developing a new relationship with your trauma history
- Reconnecting with your values and aspirations
- Building or deepening meaningful relationships
- Engaging more fully with your life and community
These phases aren’t strictly linear—healing often moves back and forth between them as needed. Throughout the process, you remain in control of the pace and direction of your therapy.
Beginning Your Healing Journey
Reaching Out
Taking the first step toward trauma healing takes courage. We’ve designed our intake process to be as supportive and comfortable as possible:
- Initial Contact: Reach out through our website, email or phone. You don’t need to share any details about your trauma at this stage.
- Brief Consultation: Speak with our intake coordinator who will listen compassionately to your needs and help match you with an appropriate trauma specialist.
- First Session: Your initial appointment focuses on building safety and connection. Your therapist will explain how trauma therapy works, answer your questions, and collaborate with you on next steps.
- Personalized Planning: Together with your therapist, you’ll develop a healing approach tailored to your specific needs, preferences, and goals.
Throughout this process, you remain in control. There is no pressure to discuss any experiences before you’re ready, and all information is kept strictly confidential.
Supporting a Loved One Through Trauma
Being There With Understanding
If you’re seeking information to support someone you care about, your compassion makes a difference. Here are ways you can help:
- Listen without judgment when they choose to share
- Respect their pace and boundaries around discussing their experiences
- Validate their feelings rather than trying to “fix” or offering platitudes
- Learn about trauma to better understand their experiences
- Encourage professional support while respecting their choices
- Take care of yourself to prevent compassion fatigue
We offer family sessions and resources to help loved ones understand trauma and provide effective support. With permission from your loved one, we can help you learn specific ways to support their healing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if what I experienced is "bad enough" to be considered trauma?
There's no threshold you need to cross for your experiences to be valid. What might be traumatic for one person may not be for another—it's about how an experience impacted you, not about comparing suffering. Many people minimize their experiences, thinking "others have it worse." If you find yourself struggling with difficult memories, feeling unsafe, or noticing patterns in your life that seem connected to past experiences, these are valid reasons to seek support. Our therapists create a space where all of your experiences are honored without judgment.
Will I have to talk about everything that happened to me in detail?
No. You are always in control of what you share and when. Many effective trauma therapies don't require detailed recounting of traumatic events. Some approaches, like EMDR and somatic therapies, can work with the felt sense of experiences rather than the narrative details. Even in approaches that involve processing memories, you decide how much detail to share. Our priority is creating safety—we'll never pressure you to discuss anything before you're ready, and we'll help you develop skills to manage difficult emotions before exploring challenging material.
How long does trauma therapy usually take?
Healing is a unique journey for each person, influenced by factors including the nature of the trauma, how long you've been carrying it, your current support system, and your personal goals. Some people experience significant relief within a few months of consistent therapy, while others benefit from longer-term support. Rather than focusing on a timeline, we emphasize progress—noticing the small shifts that signal healing. Throughout the process, we'll regularly check in about your experience and adjust our approach as needed.
Can trauma be healed completely, or will I always carry it?
While we may not erase memories of difficult experiences, trauma therapy can profoundly transform your relationship with those memories and their impact on your life. Many people find that trauma that once felt constantly present becomes a chapter in their life story—important but no longer defining or debilitating. Successful trauma therapy often means that memories no longer trigger the same overwhelming emotions, your nervous system regains its capacity for regulation, and you develop a renewed sense of safety, agency, and connection. Healing doesn't mean forgetting—it means the trauma no longer controls your life.
Is it normal to feel worse before feeling better in trauma therapy?
It's common to experience periods of increased discomfort during trauma healing. As you begin to address experiences you may have been avoiding, you might temporarily notice more symptoms or stronger emotions. This doesn't mean therapy isn't working—often it's a sign that important healing is happening. We take great care to ensure this process is manageable by:
- Building strong coping skills before processing trauma
- Moving at a pace that feels right for you
- Ensuring each session ends with a sense of stability
- Being available for support between sessions if needed
- Adjusting our approach if distress becomes too intense
What if I don't remember much about what happened to me?
Memory gaps are a common and normal response to overwhelming experiences. Many people have fragmented memories, only sensory impressions, or very little conscious recall of traumatic events. This doesn't mean you can't heal. Our therapists are skilled in working with implicit memory (the felt sense and physical imprints of experiences) as well as explicit memory (the narrative of what happened). We focus on addressing the impact trauma has had on your life today, whether or not you have clear memories of past events.
How do I choose between different trauma therapy approaches?
During your initial sessions, your therapist will help you understand the different approaches that might be helpful for your specific situation. This decision is collaborative and considers factors like:
- Your personal preferences and comfort level
- The nature of your trauma experiences
- Your current symptoms and challenges
- Your learning and processing style
- Previous therapy experiences
Can trauma therapy help with physical symptoms?
Yes. Trauma is stored in the body, often manifesting as physical symptoms like chronic pain, digestive issues, tension, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Many of our trauma treatment approaches—particularly somatic therapies, EMDR, and mindfulness—directly address the physical components of trauma. Clients often report improvement in physical symptoms as they progress in trauma therapy. We may also collaborate with your healthcare providers to support your physical wellbeing throughout the healing process.
Is trauma therapy covered by insurance?
While Mind Body Psychiatry is an out-of-network provider, many clients receive partial reimbursement for trauma therapy through their out-of-network benefits. We provide detailed superbills with appropriate diagnostic codes that you can submit to your insurance company. Trauma therapy is typically covered when medically necessary, though coverage varies by plan. We recommend checking with your insurance provider about your specific mental health benefits. For those with financial concerns, we offer some sliding scale options and can discuss practical approaches to making therapy accessible.
How do I support myself between trauma therapy sessions?
Self-care between sessions is an important part of the healing process. Your therapist will work with you to develop a personalized between-session support plan that might include:
- Specific grounding and regulation exercises
- Journaling prompts or reflection practices
- Creating systems that reduce ADHD-related friction
- Body-based resources like gentle movement or breathing techniques
- Boundary-setting strategies for challenging situations
- Meaningful connection with supportive people
- Engagement with activities that bring meaning and pleasure
Can I still function in my daily life while doing trauma work?
Yes. We design trauma therapy to be compatible with your daily responsibilities and functioning. The paced, phase-based approach ensures we're not opening up more than you can process while maintaining your current life demands. If certain phases of therapy require more support, we'll plan for this together. Many clients successfully engage in trauma therapy while managing careers, education, parenting, and other commitments. Your therapist will work with you to ensure the pace and timing of therapy supports rather than disrupts your functioning.
What if I've tried therapy before and it didn't help?
Previous therapy experiences that didn't provide relief from trauma symptoms don't mean you can't heal. There are many reasons prior therapy might not have addressed your trauma effectively:
- The approach might not have been trauma-specific
- The timing might not have been right for trauma processing
- The therapeutic relationship may not have been the right fit
- Your nervous system might not have been ready for the work