Therapy Services for Trauma in North Houston and Montrose- EMDR, ART and CPT Trained Therapists
Trauma Therapy
You have been feeling on edge for a while.
You have had trouble doing your regular daily activities, like going to work, or school. It’s been even harder to spend time with your kids or your partner. You find yourself easily annoyed or triggered at anything they say or do. It’s hard to sleep. The flashbacks and nightmare’s make it hard to stay asleep. The memories you have make it hard to feel normal.
This has been going on for months and you are at the end of your rope.
You may be experiencing PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
PTSD is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.
“This sounds like me, but how do I know if I have PTSD?”
The only way to know for sure is to talk to a mental health care provider. We will ask you about your trauma, your symptoms, and any other problems you have.
If you think you might have PTSD, answer these questions.
Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. For example, a serious accident or fire, a physical or sexual assault or abuse, an earthquake or flood, a war, seeing someone be killed or seriously injured, or having a loved one die through homicide or suicide.
Have you ever experienced this kind of event?
o Yes o No
If yes, please answer the questions below.
In the past month, have you:
Had nightmares about the event(s) or thought about the event(s) when you didn’t want to?
Tried hard not to think about the event(s) or went out of your way to avoid situations that reminded you of the event(s)?
Been constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled?
Felt numb or detached from people, activities, or your surroundings?
Felt guilty or unable to stop blaming yourself or others for the event(s) or any problems the event(s) may have caused?
If you answered “yes” to 3 or more of these questions, talk to a mental health care provider to learn more about PTSD and PTSD treatment. Answering “yes” to 3 or more questions does not mean you have PTSD. Only a mental health care provider can tell you for sure.
You are not alone.
At least half of Americans have had a traumatic event in their lives.
Of people who have had trauma, about 1 in 10 men and 2 in 10 women will develop PTSD.
There are some things that make it more likely you’ll develop PTSD — for example, having very intense or long-lasting trauma, getting hurt, or having a strong reaction to the event (like shaking, throwing up, or feeling distant from your surroundings). It’s also more common to develop PTSD after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault. But there’s no way to know for sure who will develop PTSD.
Many people who have PTSD also have another mental health problem
— like depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, or thinking about harming themselves or others. It’s also common to have problems at work, in relationships, or with your physical health. Sometimes, these problems happen because of your PTSD symptoms. For example, feeling numb and avoiding places can make it hard to have good relationships with your friends and family.
Getting treatment for PTSD can help with these other problems, too. We can help.
We can help.
We have several therapists who have been trained in both Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR).
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CPT is focused on teaching you a new way to think about your trauma. Trauma can change the way you think about yourself and the world. You may believe you are to blame for what happened or that the world is a dangerous place. These kinds of thoughts keep you stuck in your PTSD and cause you to miss out on things you used to enjoy. In this specialized therapy, you will learn skills that can help you decide whether there are more helpful ways to think about your trauma. You will learn how to examine whether the facts support your thought or do not support your thought. And ultimately, you can decide whether or not it makes sense to take a new perspective.
You can read more about CPT here.
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EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
You can read more about EMDR therapy on the EMDRIA Website.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapy approach that helps you heal from trauma by understanding and working with different "parts" of yourself. IFS recognizes that our minds naturally contain different aspects or "parts" - like the part that feels anxious, the part that protects you by avoiding certain situations, or the part that carries painful memories from traumatic experiences.
When you've experienced trauma, some parts of you may have taken on extreme roles to protect you from overwhelming pain. For example, you might have a part that keeps you constantly busy to avoid thinking about the trauma, or a part that's hypervigilant and always watching for danger. IFS therapy helps you get to know these protective parts, understand why they developed, and help them relax their extreme roles.
At Restoring Hope Counseling in Houston, our IFS-trained therapists guide you to access your core "Self" - the calm, compassionate, curious part of you that can heal the wounded parts carrying trauma. Rather than fighting against or trying to eliminate difficult emotions and behaviors, IFS teaches you to approach all parts of yourself with curiosity and compassion. This gentle approach is particularly effective for complex trauma, childhood trauma, and situations where other trauma therapies haven't fully worked.
IFS is especially helpful for trauma because it:
Doesn't require you to relive traumatic memories in detail before you're ready
Recognizes that your protective behaviors developed for good reasons
Helps you develop self-compassion rather than self-criticism
Works well in combination with other trauma therapies like EMDR
Addresses the underlying emotional wounds, not just symptoms
Allows you to heal at your own pace with your own inner wisdom as the guide
Many clients find IFS particularly helpful when they struggle with internal conflicts ("part of me wants to move forward, but part of me is terrified"), self-criticism, or feeling "stuck" in patterns they can't seem to change despite wanting to. Our Houston IFS therapists can help you determine if this approach is right for your trauma healing journey.
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Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a brief, evidence-based therapy designed to quickly reduce symptoms of trauma, anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues – often in just 1-5 sessions.
How it works:
ART uses a combination of eye movements (similar to EMDR) while you recall difficult memories or experiences. Your therapist guides your eyes to move back and forth while you think about the troubling memory. This process helps your brain reprocess the memory so it becomes less distressing.
What makes it unique:
Unlike traditional talk therapy, you don't have to share all the details of your trauma out loud. The therapy works by helping you mentally "re-file" the memory in a way that keeps the facts but reduces the emotional charge. Many clients describe it as keeping the knowledge of what happened while losing the painful feelings attached to it.
What to expect:
Sessions are typically 60-75 minutes. You stay awake and in control the entire time. Most people notice significant relief quickly – often feeling lighter, sleeping better, and experiencing fewer intrusive thoughts after just a few sessions.
Best for:
Trauma, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, depression, grief, and performance anxiety.
Trauma therapy can help you feel better, help you feel like you have your life back.
Right now it feels like things will never get better.
But they will.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trauma Therapy at Restoring Hope Counseling
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You may benefit from trauma therapy if you've experienced a life-threatening event, assault, abuse, accident, natural disaster, combat, or loss of a loved one through violence, and you're now experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, hypervigilance, difficulty trusting others, emotional numbness, or intrusive memories.
These are common symptoms of trauma and PTSD that our Restoring Hope trauma therapists in Houston are specially trained to treat.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy for trauma and PTSD.
During EMDR sessions, your therapist guides you to recall traumatic memories while using bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements).
This process helps your brain reprocess the traumatic memory, reducing its emotional intensity and allowing natural healing to occur. EMDR often produces results faster than traditional talk therapy, with many clients experiencing significant relief in 8-12 sessions.
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CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and trauma. In CPT sessions at Restoring Hope Counseling, your Houston therapist helps you examine and challenge unhelpful thoughts about your trauma, such as self-blame or beliefs that the world is completely dangerous.
CPT typically involves 12 sessions and has strong research support for treating PTSD symptoms effectively.
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ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) is a newer evidence-based trauma treatment that uses eye movements similar to EMDR but focuses on replacing distressing images with positive ones.
ART sessions are typically shorter (1-5 sessions) and highly effective for single-incident traumas.
Our Houston trauma therapists can help you determine whether EMDR, CPT, or ART is the best fit for your specific trauma history.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based approach that helps you heal from trauma by working with different "parts" of yourself. IFS recognizes that our minds naturally contain different aspects - like the part that feels anxious or the part that protects you by avoiding certain situations.
When you've experienced trauma, some parts take on extreme protective roles. IFS therapy at Restoring Hope Counseling helps you understand these parts with curiosity and compassion, access your calm core "Self," and gently heal the wounded parts carrying traumatic memories.
IFS is especially effective for complex trauma and childhood trauma because it doesn't require reliving traumatic memories before you're ready, recognizes that protective behaviors developed for good reasons, and allows you to heal at your own pace. Our Houston therapists often combine IFS with other trauma treatments like EMDR for comprehensive healing.
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Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. PTSD is diagnosed when trauma symptoms persist for more than one month and include intrusive memories, avoidance behaviors, negative changes in thoughts and mood, and heightened reactivity.
Our therapists at Restoring Hope Counseling in both of our Houston offices can provide a comprehensive assessment to determine whether you meet PTSD criteria and recommend the most appropriate evidence-based treatment.
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Treatment length varies based on trauma type, severity, and individual factors. EMDR typically produces results in 8-12 sessions for single-incident trauma, while complex trauma (multiple traumatic events, especially in childhood) may require longer treatment. CPT is structured as a 12-session protocol.
Your trauma therapist will provide a personalized treatment plan and regularly assess your progress.
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With EMDR and ART, you don't need to discuss your trauma in extensive detail. These approaches work without requiring you to verbally process every aspect of your traumatic experience.
With CPT, you'll discuss your trauma more directly but at a pace you can manage.
Your trauma therapist will never push you beyond what you're ready to handle.
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No, trauma therapy helps anyone who has experienced traumatic events including childhood abuse or neglect, sexual assault, domestic violence, car accidents, medical trauma, natural disasters, violent crime, sudden loss, or witnessing violence.
Our trauma therapists work with diverse clients of all ages and backgrounds who have experienced various types of trauma.
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Yes, research shows that online EMDR, CPT, and other trauma therapies are equally effective as in-person treatment.
Restoring Hope Counseling offers secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual trauma therapy sessions for clients throughout Texas. Some clients even prefer virtual sessions for trauma work as they feel safer processing difficult material from their own home environment.
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Yes, we provide trauma-informed therapy for children using age-appropriate approaches including play therapy, child-friendly EMDR adaptations, and family support. Trauma can significantly impact children's development, behavior, and emotional regulation, and early intervention is crucial.
Our Champions office therapists are experienced in helping children heal from traumatic experiences.
