TEEN TRAUMA
WHEN SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IS STILL SHOWING UP.
Teen trauma therapy gives adolescents a safe place to process difficult experiences, understand how the nervous system is responding, and rebuild a sense of safety, control, and connection. After difficult or overwhelming experiences, teens may become more anxious, angry, numb, avoidant, reactive, disconnected, or constantly on alert — even when the danger has passed.
Support built for where they are right now.
RECOGNIZABLE PATTERNS
THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE…
- •They avoid people, places, conversations, or reminders connected to what happened.
- •Their body seems to stay on alert — jumpy, restless, watchful, or unable to settle.
- •Anger, irritability, shutdown, or numbness show up where fear used to be easier to recognize.
- •Sleep changes, nightmares, intrusive memories, or physical reactions interrupt daily life.
- •Trust feels harder, even with people who are safe now.
- •They seem disconnected from themselves, their emotions, or the life they had before.
HOW THERAPY CAN HELP
Therapy can help your teen feel safer in their body and relationships, make sense of what happened at a manageable pace, and reduce the ways the experience keeps controlling the present.
WHAT MAY BE GOING ON
There is rarely one simple reason a teen gets stuck. Development, stress, temperament, relationships, school, sleep, attention, past experiences, family patterns, and biology can all play a role. We focus on understanding the pattern well enough to know what may actually help — not on attaching a label as quickly as possible.
HOW WE APPROACH IT
Trauma work should not mean forcing a teen to retell painful experiences before trust and readiness are there. Therapists may use trauma-focused methods such as EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS, CBT/TF-CBT or other approaches when they are trained in them and when the method fits the teen.
CLINICAL MATCH
THERAPISTS WHO WORK WITH THIS CONCERN
The concern matters. The relationship does too. We can help you think through which therapist may fit your teen's personality, needs, and preferences.
Sara McMann, MA, APCC
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor
I understand the pressure to perform while struggling underneath it. My work helps teens build resilience, emotional balance, and confidence without judgment or lectures.
Andrea Marrapodi, MA, AMFT, APCC
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist | APCC
I want teens to feel safe enough to be themselves — not judged, lectured, or pushed into someone else’s expectations. Therapy is a place to understand who they are and build confidence from there.
Alyssa Wild, MA, AMFT
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
I create a warm, empowering space where teens can feel seen without judgment, process difficult experiences, and build practical skills for emotions, relationships, and everyday life.
FAQ
QUESTIONS PARENTS OFTEN ASK
What are signs of trauma in teenagers?
Signs include being easily startled, sudden anger, withdrawing, nightmares, avoiding certain places/people, or emotional numbness.
Do you use EMDR with teens?
Yes, our clinicians who are trained in EMDR frequently use it, as it can be highly effective for teens processing trauma without needing to talk through every detail.
How involved are parents in trauma therapy?
Parents are involved in understanding how to support their teen's nervous system at home, while the teen maintains a private space to process.
Will my teen have to talk about everything that happened?
No. Trauma therapy is paced around safety, readiness, trust, and the method being used. Effective work does not require forcing a teen into details before they are ready.
How do I know if an experience was “traumatic enough”?
You do not need to make that determination before reaching out. The question is whether an experience is still affecting your teen’s emotions, body, relationships, sense of safety, or functioning.
Can trauma look like anger or behavior problems?
Yes. Trauma can show up through irritability, aggression, avoidance, shutdown, risk-taking, or difficulty trusting — not only fear or sadness.
NOT SURE THIS IS THE RIGHT LABEL?
You do not need to be sure. Tell us what you are seeing and we can help you think through whether this concern, another issue, or a combination may be the better fit.
Prefer to talk? Call or text (916) 292-9000.