Trauma Therapy in the Bay Area — Helping You Heal the Wounds That Still Shape Your Life
I help people who’ve been hurt by their past get out of survival mode and start building a life that actually feels good to live.
Maybe you’re here because life looks fine on the outside — job, relationships, routines all in place — but inside? You’re exhausted. Numb. Like you’re just going through the motions. And maybe you're wondering:
“Is what I’ve been through really trauma?”
If you're still feeling the impact of it — in your body, in your relationships, in how you show up (or shut down) — then yes. It counts.
So What Does Trauma Actually Feel Like?
I work best with people who straddle multiple worlds — emotionally, culturally, or spiritually. Most of my clients fall into one or more of these groups:
You overthink everything — even a simple text — and replay it in your mind for hours.
You say yes to things you don’t want to do, just to avoid conflict… then feel resentful and invisible.
You look calm and collected on the outside, but inside you’re crumbling. You fall apart when you’re finally alone.
You hold it together all day at work, then collapse emotionally the moment you’re off the clock.
You feel like you're on autopilot — doing everything you're "supposed" to do, but nothing feels meaningful or connected.
You’re emotionally disconnected — from yourself, from your relationships, from the life you thought you were building.
You can’t remember the last time you truly felt joy, calm, or even present.
You visit your family and instantly feel like a helpless kid again — walking on eggshells, waiting to be criticized.
If you’re nodding along, know this: these aren’t personality flaws. They’re protective strategies your body learned a long time ago. And therapy can help you unlearn them — safely, slowly, and in a way that actually sticks.
I'm Alex — a trauma therapist based in the Bay Area
I work with people who feel stuck in the same cycles, even after years of trying to "figure it out" on their own. And I get it — not just professionally, but personally too. Living with trauma can feel like you’re carrying something invisible that weighs a ton. It shapes how you think, how you relate to others, and how safe you feel in your own body.
Whether you’re the one who’s always holding it together and quietly falling apart… or the one who’s shut down because it feels safer not to feel at all — I see you. I know how hard it is to even think about unpacking all of this with someone.
That’s why I approach therapy with a mix of care, realness, and partnership. This isn’t about fixing you. It’s about helping you finally feel safe enough to come home to yourself.
Let’s Untangle What’s Been
Holding You Back
Imagine what it would feel like to finally exhale. To stop overthinking everything. To say no without guilt. To feel truly seen — not because you're performing or keeping it together, but because you showed up as yourself.
That’s what good trauma therapy can lead to:
A calmer mind and body
Real relationships where you feel safe and connected
Confidence that isn’t tied to perfection
Letting go of the guilt, shame, and fear that were never yours to carry
Living a life that feels like it’s actually yours — not one that was shaped by pressure, trauma, or survival
If that kind of healing sounds like something you want, let’s talk.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation — no pressure, no commitment. Just a chance to see if this feels like a good fit for you.
What Kinds of Trauma I Work With
Trauma doesn’t always come from one big, obvious event. Sometimes, it’s the buildup — the little moments that taught you to shut down, stay quiet, or perform to be loved.
Here’s what we can work on together in trauma therapy:
Family Wounds That Never Healed
You had to be the peacekeeper, the responsible one, the one who didn’t make waves. Maybe no one ever said “I love you” — or maybe love came with strings attached. In therapy, we break that cycle and help you build something healthier.
Emotional Neglect
No one yelled. No one hit. But you were left alone in the hard stuff. You learned your needs didn’t matter. In trauma therapy, we help you reconnect to your voice and your right to take up space.
Abuse — Emotional, Physical, or Sexual
Whether it was ongoing or one defining moment, abuse doesn’t go away just because time passed. We’ll work gently, with no pressure to retell every detail, and help you feel safe in your body again.
Cultural and Intergenerational Pressure
You were expected to achieve, stay quiet, be loyal, and make your family proud — even if it crushed you. We’ll unpack what was passed down, what you want to keep, and what you’re ready to let go of.
Religious or Spiritual Trauma (Especially From Christianity)
You had to be the peacekeeper, the responsible one, the one who didn’t make waves. Maybe no one ever said “I love you” — or maybe love came with strings attached. In therapy, we break that cycle and help you build something healthier.
Relationship & Attachment Trauma
You keep ending up in situations that leave you feeling small, alone, or too much. You shut down or overfunction. You avoid or cling. We explore the roots and build new ways of relating — with others and with yourself.
If you’re not sure where your experience fits, that’s okay. You don’t have to name it perfectly to start the work.
What It’s Like to Work with Me
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to show up. I’m not the kind of therapist who stays quiet while you spiral. I’m an active partner in the process — reflecting, asking questions, helping you name the patterns that have shaped your inner world.
Here’s how I approach trauma therapy:
We work relationally. I show up as a real person in the room with you — not a blank slate. You’ll feel both supported and challenged, and we’ll build a relationship that becomes a safe foundation for the work
We integrate Brainspotting. When emotions feel stuck or hard to name, Brainspotting lets us bypass the thinking brain and access trauma stored in the body. It’s especially helpful when you’ve already talked something to death but still feel it in your chest or gut.
We use Internal Family Systems (Parts Work). You’ll start to meet different "parts" of yourself — the one who overworks, the one who shuts down, the one who's still bracing for something bad. We bring compassion to each part, so you can lead with more clarity and less inner conflict.
We tune into the nervous system. Trauma shows up in your body as much as your mind. That’s why I integrate somatic tracking — noticing where you feel tension, collapse, or activation — and helping you learn how to feel safer and more regulated in your body.
We work with attachment wounds. If your early experiences taught you that love was conditional or inconsistent, we’ll explore how those dynamics show up today — and practice new ways of relating, both in therapy and outside it.
We move between insight and action. Understanding why you do what you do is powerful — but we don’t stop there. We’ll actively experiment with new behaviors and relational tools in session, so healing becomes lived, not just learned.
We always go at your pace. Deep work doesn’t mean rushing. We’ll check in regularly, make adjustments as needed, and hold space for both the messy and the meaningful parts of healing.
Sessions are 50 minutes, typically weekly, either in person in Fremont or online for anyone in California.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You don’t have to stay stuck in survival mode.
Trauma therapy is more than just talking — it's about actually feeling different. It’s about learning how to feel safe in your body again, stop the constant overthinking, and build relationships that don’t drain or confuse you. It’s about shifting out of that place where everything feels like too much — or nothing at all — and finally stepping into a life that feels grounded, connected, and real.
With the right trauma therapy, you can:
Feel calm without needing to check out
Say what you really think without fearing the fallout
Hold boundaries and still be loved
Stop shrinking yourself just to keep the peace
Let go of shame that was never yours to begin with.