Five Things to Consider When Finding a Trauma Therapist

By Ellie Jameson, LPC
EMDR Trained
Trauma Team Lead

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 70% of adults have experienced a traumatic event in their life. All traumatic events have an impact, but whether it becomes pervasive is determined by internal and external factors. Trauma occurs when a person’s nervous system becomes overwhelmed with fear, horror, or helplessness, and their access to external resources to cope is not enough. Experiencing an event that exceeds a person’s ability to cope both internally and externally can lead to intrusive symptoms, avoidance of reminders, unstable mood, inaccurate cues from their nervous system of danger, disruptions in sleep, dissociation, negative thoughts about themselves, others, and the world around them. 

Often, trauma is not a single event, but a lifetime of experiences that have impacted our system. Because of this, trauma treatment can be very beneficial, and finding the right therapist can be vital for healing. Trauma can have impacts on all parts of the body from thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, health, and behaviors. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, looking for a therapist can feel overwhelming, especially finding one that is capable of working with trauma. Unfortunately, not every clinician is trained in trauma treatment (although there is growing progress in this area!). Things to look out for are proper credentials, trauma training, theoretical approach, their therapeutic presence, and your intuition. This is a general overview of what to be aware of when finding a therapist, but it is not an exhaustive list by any means.  

1. Credentials

A therapist’s credentials prove they have gone through the correct process within their field. They will be more likely to have up to date training and ethical standards which guide their practice. Often, people will use the terms “therapist” or “counselor” but it is important to verify if they have the licensing which indicates they have had clinical training and passed state licensure. Licenses can be under categories such as social work, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, or psychologist. Here are the abbreviations you might see: 

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker/ Licensed Social Worker (LCSW/LSW) 

• Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor/Licensed Professional Counselor (LCPC/LPC) 

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) 

• Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)

Seeing a therapist with a license is important, but additional training for specifically treating trauma can be beneficial as well. 

2. Additional trainings

While education and awareness are growing rapidly within the mental health field, finding a therapist with additional training in trauma treatment is beneficial for a safe experience. Some of these trainings could include Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), or Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). Therapists who complete additional trauma training will have the ability to treat the trauma itself rather than only address symptoms on the surface level. Potentially, if a clinician does not have the credentials or training yet, finding out if they are under the supervision of a trauma therapist can be helpful. A therapist should be willing to seek out supervision or consultation especially when working with trauma. 

3. Theoretical approach

A therapist can use many modalities when practicing therapy and ideally, they should be evidenced based. With trauma, regular talk therapy does not fully address the nervous system dysregulation and implicit memories that carry the traumatic experiences. Going beyond talk therapy, clinicians who are comfortable with parts, somatic, sensorimotor, and attachment approaches are important in addition to cognitive ones. A trauma therapist ideally should be familiar with the neuroscience of trauma, window of tolerance/nervous system dysregulation, and the three phases of trauma treatment. They should also be using evidence-based treatments and having a discussion about their approach so you can have fully informed consent. While trauma treatment is not a one-size-fits-all there are evidenced based practices that a trauma therapist should be comfortable adapting to your specific needs in session. 

4. Therapeutic presence

A good trauma therapist’s presence should help you to feel safe. A therapist should never tell you what to do or force any treatment/techniques on you. They should provide a safe, empathetic, non-judgemental environment that allows you to use your voice and express your needs. Therapists that push for details, give advice, always forget your story or important details that you share, dismiss or minimize your experience, or tell you to get over it are not safe, especially for trauma work. 

5. Your intuition

The most important piece in finding a trauma therapist is your own experience in the therapy room with the clinician. Someone may have every credential and training, but if your body and intuition do not feel like it is a good fit for you, that is okay. Ultimately, you get to determine if a therapist is a good fit for you (and your therapist should provide you with the space to explore this and check in on it occasionally). Trusting your nervous system while finding a therapist is one of the first steps in trauma treatment as you are rebuilding safety within yourself and with others. Starting out therapy or finding another therapist can be intimidating, but you are not obligated to take care of the therapist’s feelings or stay with a therapist you are not comfortable with. 

To get you started, here are some possible questions to ask a trauma therapist:

• What is your training and experience working with trauma?

• How do you define trauma?

• How do you approach dissociation and/or parts?

• What guides your pacing of the sessions/overall treatment?

• What can I expect from a typical session?

• How do you determine progress?

While these recommendations are not all encompassing, it is a start to finding a safe trauma therapist for your healing journey. While licensure, training, therapeutic style, and modalities are important, your experience with the therapist is the most important. Letting your nervous system guide you in the process of finding a therapist will be helpful both in developing rapport and reconnecting with your internal sense of self. Whether you are at the beginning of your therapy journey or in the middle, you deserve a safe space to heal. 

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