What Is Trauma-Informed Therapy?

If you’re here, chances are you’re looking for a safer way to heal.

What brings you here today? Maybe a healthcare provider, like a doctor or psychiatrist, recommended working with a trauma-informed therapist. Or maybe this is something you sought out on your own because you want to prioritize a sense of safety as you begin to gently untangle past experiences and move toward healing.

Wherever you’re coming from, you’re not alone, and you’re in the right place.

Trauma-informed therapy centers safety, trust, and choice, allowing you to explore your experiences at your own pace. Before we go any further, it can help to pause and talk about what we even mean when we use the word trauma.

Understanding Trauma

There’s often a stigma attached to the word “trauma.” Growing up, I remember thinking that trauma had to involve a single, dramatic event, something you might see in an action or disaster movie. Car crashes. Buildings on fire. Natural disasters. Moments that are clearly life-threatening and impossible to miss.

For some people, trauma does come from major, life-threatening events. For others, it can come from experiences that may seem “small” on the surface, like feeling deeply embarrassed in front of a class, being repeatedly criticized by a teacher, or experiencing shame in a way that lingered. When experiences leave a lasting impact on how you see yourself, your sense of safety, or your place in the world, they stick in the body and nervous system. Even if the mind moves on, the body remembers.

When our bodies go through trauma “big” or “small” (I use airquotes because I don’t believe that trauma can be measured) , we enter the survival mode, often experiencing fight, flight, freeze or fawn responses as survival techniques. Sometimes, even after the danger has passed, the body continues to react as if it isn’t safe yet. 

Sometimes, even after the danger has passed, the body continues to react as if it isn’t safe yet. This can show up in many ways, including but not limited to:

• Chronic tension or muscle tightness

• Fatigue or low energy

• Anxiety or racing thoughts

• Numbness or emotional shutdown

• Difficulty relaxing or sleeping

• Feeling “on edge” without knowing why

These reactions are your body’s way of keeping you safe, drawing on past experiences. Trauma-informed therapy works to help your nervous system feel supported, rather than overwhelmed.

How Trauma-Informed Therapy Helps

This is where trauma-informed therapy comes in. Instead of asking “What’s wrong with you?”, a trauma-informed therapist asks, “What happened to you?” 

This approach:

• Prioritizes your sense of safety in every session

• Moves at your pace, respecting your boundaries and readiness

• Uses choice, collaboration, and consent as core principles

• Supports your body and nervous system, helping you regulate emotions and feel grounded

• Focuses on healing in the present, without forcing you to relive painful experiences

Trauma-informed therapy is designed to be a supportive space where your experiences are validated, your boundaries are honored, and your healing can unfold safely.

How To Ask Your Therapist About Their Trauma-Informed Lens

While trauma-informed therapy is often labeled a “buzzword,” the care, intention, and safety it represents truly matter. As you continue navigating what your therapeutic journey options are, I encourage you to ask questions, move at your own pace, and feel comfortable setting boundaries that fit what you need most.

Questions to ask a potential therapist about their trauma-informed lens:

• How do you assess and support a client’s sense of safety in sessions?

• What does pacing look like for you when working with trauma?

• How do you incorporate choice and consent into your therapeutic process?

• What does a trauma-informed lens look like in your day-to-day clinical work?

• What type of therapeutical approaches do they use in session? What type of training have they done?

If you’re in Texas and looking for trauma-informed care, consider taking our personalized therapist quiz to learn more about our team at The Couch Therapy. We also offer free consultations for new clients to ask questions, share what they’re looking for, and see if our approach feels like the right fit for them.