Conditions we care for
Trauma care for the part of you that's still carrying it.
Single-incident trauma, complex PTSD, childhood wounds, accidents, assaults, medical trauma, loss. Whatever happened, we treat the patterns it left behind, not just the diagnosis.
- 2 locations · Cedar Rapids · St. Thomas
- In-person · Telehealth available
Trauma is not a personality trait
"It is a nervous system pattern, and patterns can change."
What this looks like
Trauma changes how the nervous system works.
Trauma is not just a memory. It is a state your body learned to live in. Hypervigilance, numbing, intrusive thoughts, sleep disruption, anger that arrives faster than you can think, shame that does not match what is in front of you. The body keeps the score, and most patients with unresolved trauma can feel it before they can name it.
Many of the people we see for trauma have spent years in treatment that did not name the trauma. They were prescribed an antidepressant for the symptom and went home. Or they did talk therapy that helped a little, but did not change the underlying response.
Trauma-focused care looks different. The goal is not to make peace with what happened. The goal is to lower the nervous system’s response to it so it stops running your present life.
What we mean by trauma-informed
Safety and consent come first, every visit, every clinician.
How we treat bipolar
Three modalities, often used together.
Trauma treatment usually combines a top-down approach (cognitive processing) with a bottom-up approach (nervous system regulation). We integrate both.
Trauma-Focused Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), trauma-focused CBT, somatic approaches, and parts work for complex trauma. Delivered by clinicians trained specifically in trauma, not generalists.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
For trauma that has not responded to conventional therapy, ketamine paired with prepared psychotherapy can help patients access and process memories with less reactivity. Every medicine session is bookended by preparation and integration.
Psychiatry & Medication
Medication for trauma is typically about reducing the noise so therapy can do its work: sleep, hyperarousal, anxiety, depression. We prescribe thoughtfully and coordinate with the therapy plan.
How treatment works
From your first call to ongoing care.
No surprises. Here is exactly what the path from your first call to ongoing treatment looks like at our clinic.
01
Reach out.
Book online or call us at (319) 800-2125 (Cedar Rapids) or (340) 244-9658 (St. Thomas). A free 15-minute consultation is the easiest way to start if you are not sure where to begin.
02
Initial evaluation.
A 60 to 90 minute conversation with a clinician. Full psychiatric and medical history, a review of what you have already tried, and a conversation about what you actually want out of treatment.
03
Your individualized plan.
We build a treatment plan with you, not for you. It may include therapy, medication, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, functional medicine workups, or a combination. We explain the why behind every recommendation.
04
Treatment begins.
You start the plan we built together. Sessions are scheduled around your life. In-person at our Cedar Rapids or St. Thomas clinics, or via secure telehealth where appropriate.
05
Ongoing care and adjustment.
Mental health is not linear. We check in, measure progress, adjust the plan when things change, and coordinate with your other providers when that helps.
Types of trauma we commonly treat.
Most patients have more than one. Treatment plans usually address what is loudest first and work outward.
Under the trauma umbrella
Frequently asked
Questions about trauma treatment.
If your question isn’t here, our team can walk you through it. Call (319) 800-2125 or request a free 15-minute consultation.
01Do I have to talk about what happened?
Not in detail, and not on your first visit. Modern trauma therapy is built around the principle that you do not have to relive trauma to heal from it. EMDR in particular can be effective without lengthy verbal recounting.
02What is EMDR and does it work?
EMDR is a structured therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound) while a patient briefly recalls traumatic memories. It is one of the most studied trauma treatments and is recommended by the WHO, APA, and VA as a first-line treatment for PTSD.
03Is ketamine therapy helpful for trauma?
There is growing evidence that ketamine paired with psychotherapy can help patients with trauma, particularly those who have not responded to standard treatments. It is not a first-line treatment, and not everyone is a candidate. We evaluate fit honestly.
04I am not sure if what happened to me counts as trauma.
Trauma is defined more by the impact on you than by the external severity of the event. If something is still affecting how you feel, sleep, relate, or function, it is worth getting evaluated, regardless of whether others would call it traumatic.
05Will I have to stop my current medications?
Usually no. We coordinate with your prescriber if you have one and adjust over time as treatment progresses. Some medications can interact with KAP, which we screen for at evaluation.
06Do you treat children for trauma?
Yes. Trauma-informed care for children and adolescents looks different, with family involvement and developmentally appropriate approaches. Some treatments (KAP, EMDR for very young children) have age and clinical criteria we evaluate individually.
07Can this be done over telehealth?
Much of trauma therapy can be delivered via secure telehealth, including EMDR. Ketamine-assisted sessions require in-person visits.
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Ready when you are.
Whether you’re booking your first visit or just want to talk to someone — we’re here.