Trauma Therapy for Children, Teens, and Young Adults

What is Trauma and PTSD?

Experiencing a frightening, overwhelming, or distressing event can have lasting effects on how a child, teen, or young adult thinks, feels, and relates to others. Trauma may result from a single event, such as an accident or assault, or from ongoing experiences, such as abuse, neglect, bullying, discrimination, community violence, or medical trauma. Some young people develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can include intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, heightened alertness, irritability, feelings of shame or guilt, or difficulties trusting others. Trauma can affect school performance, relationships, sleep, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

Evidence-Based Trauma Treatment

As a child and adolescent psychologist in Portland, OR, I provide evidence-based trauma therapy and PTSD therapy for children, teens, and young adults. Treatment is tailored to each individual's developmental needs, strengths, and goals.

I primarily use Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a well-established treatment that helps young people process traumatic experiences, develop coping skills, and reduce trauma-related symptoms. TF-CBT helps children and teens better understand the connections between thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and traumatic experiences while building resilience and confidence.

I also incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients develop psychological flexibility, respond more effectively to difficult thoughts and emotions, and focus on living a meaningful life guided by their values rather than their fears.

I may also use Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an evidence-based treatment for trauma and PTSD that helps clients identify beliefs that may have developed after traumatic experiences. CPT helps children, teens, and young adults develop more balanced and helpful perspectives.

Because trauma affects entire families, parents and caregivers are often included in treatment. Together, we identify ways to support healing, strengthen relationships, improve communication, and create environments that foster safety and growth.

What to Expect During Therapy

Therapy begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand how trauma is affecting your child or teen's emotional well-being, relationships, school functioning, and daily life. Together, we'll identify trauma-related symptoms, strengths, coping strategies, and family factors that may influence recovery.

Treatment focuses on helping children and teens make sense of their experiences, develop effective coping skills, reduce avoidance, and reconnect with the activities, relationships, and goals that matter to them. Parents are often active participants in the process and learn practical ways to support healing at home.

The goal of trauma therapy and PTSD therapy is not to erase difficult experiences, but to help young people reclaim a sense of safety, confidence, connection, and hope for the future.