Aviva Psychology Services
Therapy for Trauma & PTSD in Massachusetts
Helping those who feel overwhelmed by trauma, racing thoughts, and emotional exhaustion so they can reclaim calm, connection, and confidence.
When will I feel like myself again?
When you’ve been through something traumatic, it can be hard to move forward. You might move through life, and look fine from the outside, but inside you are stuck in the past. Even though you are holding a job, raising kids, getting through the day, you’re on high alert, overwhelmed, or just trying to stay numb. The smallest things can trigger big reactions, and you may not even know why.
Trauma doesn’t just change how you feel, it changes your sense of self, your relationships, and your relationship with the world around you. Trauma can manifest in many ways.
Some of the ways trauma can impact individuals are:
- Avoiding reminders of what happened, even if it means missing out on parts of your life
- Feeling disconnected from your body, your emotions, or the people closest to you
- Experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, or racing thoughts
- Experiencing guilt or shame for things that you have experienced
You don’t have to carry this alone. At Aviva, our psychologists specialize in trauma-informed care, offering evidence-based treatments that are grounded in safety, trust, and compassion. Whether you're navigating the impact of a single event or years of complex trauma, we’re here to help you move from surviving to healing at your own pace, and with support every step of the way.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is an emotional, physical, and psychological response to a distressing experience that exceeds one’s ability to cope. It can result from a single event or from ongoing experiences like abuse, neglect, systemic oppression, or chronic stress. Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by how the individual experiences and processes it.
Trauma can impact the body, brain, and nervous system; affecting mood, behavior, relationships, and a sense of safety or trust in the world. After trauma, individuals can experience acute impacts (Adjustment Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, or PTSD-Acute Presentation) or long-term impacts (PTSD, Complex-PTSD, Prolonged Grief Disorder). At Aviva, we recognize that trauma is complex and personal. We utilized trauma-informed care to help individuals learn to cope after trauma.
What is Trauma informed care?
Trauma-informed care recognizes the impact of trauma on emotional, physical, and psychological safety. We begin by asking “What happened to you?”, rather than “What’s wrong with you?”. This person-first assessment with compassion and without judgment acknowledges that trauma impacts how individuals think, feel, relate, and cope. Using this lens, we aim to avoid re-traumatization while promoting healing and resilience.
At Aviva, trauma-informed care means creating a supportive, collaborative environment where clients feel seen, heard, and empowered. We offer both integrative and manualized treatments for trauma.
Manualized treatments include:
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
You can read more about our trauma informed care approach here.
Whats next?
Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, but we keep the process simple and supportive. Here’s what to expect:
Request an Appointment
Once you complete the form, we will reach out if we believe we have a fitting opening to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to assess fit further together.
Assessment and Planning
The first 2-4 sessions involve assessing your history, symptoms, and goals. Together, you and your psychologist will develop a treatment plan and discuss next steps.
Ongoing Weekly Sessions
Sessions are typically weekly for 55 minutes at a consistent time. You and your psychologist will focus on your treatment needs and goals.
Life after trauma.
Imagine feeling steady in your own body again. You move through your day without constantly scanning for danger or bracing for something to go wrong. The past no longer feels like it's running the show. You can talk about your experience without all the physiological side effects. You are no longer reliving your trauma daily. You feel more connected to yourself and the people around you.
Trauma informed therapy can help you achieve this. For many, trauma has shaped their inner world for so long it feels permanent. But with the right support, healing can happen. The fear, shame, and overwhelm can loosen their grip, and you can begin to feel grounded, empowered, and whole again.
Benefits of trauma therapy
Feel more grounded
Be less ruled by triggers, flashbacks, or emotional overwhelm.
Reconnect with yourself
Rediscover your values, your body, your emotions, and a future not defined by the past.
Stronger relationships
Feel more present, connected, and engaged with the people in your life by setting healthy boundaries and building from a place of safety.
You can reclaim the parts of life you’ve been avoiding
Trauma can shape your life in ways you didn’t choose. You avoid places, people, or feelings that remind you of the past. You struggle to trust others, and sometimes yourself. You might feel disconnected, on edge, or like you’re just getting through the day.
But with therapy, that story can change. You can begin to feel safe again. You can reconnect with your body, relationships, and your future. Healing is possible, and our psychologists at Aviva can help you reconnect to yourself and begin to live a full life after trauma.
FAQs about anxiety treatment
How do I know if I really experienced Trauma?
You don’t have to have survived a disaster or violent event to have experienced trauma. Trauma is defined by the impact on you, not the experience itself. If something felt overwhelming, frightening, or left you feeling powerless or unsafe, it was traumatic for you.
You may have experienced trauma if you:
- Avoid certain people, places, or memories
- Struggle to feel safe, even in calm environments
- Feel emotionally disconnected
- Have intense emotional reactions that come out of nowhere
- Experience flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts
- Blame yourself for things that happened to you
- Feel like you're always bracing for something bad to happen
Others don't have to agree with your experience of an event for it to have been traumatic. Many people don’t recognize something as trauma until much later. At Aviva we can help you sort through your struggles and identify how the event(s) impacted you and help you learn to cope more effectively.
How do I know if I need therapy for trauma?
If the effects of trauma are interfering with your daily life (relationships, sleep, or percieved safety) therapy can help. You don’t have to wait until things fall apart to seek support.
You might need treatment for trauma if you:
- Avoid reminders of the past, even when they limit your life
- Feel disconnected or hypervigilent
- Experience flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive memories
- Struggle with trust, boundaries, or emotion regulation
- Experience significant shame, guilt, or self-blame
If any of this resonates, therapy can help.
How long does trauma informed therapy take?
There’s no standard timeline for healing from a traumatic experience(s). The length of trauma-informed therapy depends on several factors, including the nature of the trauma, how long it’s been impacting you, your goals for therapy, and what kind of support you’ve had along the way.
Some structured forms of trauma treatment like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Written Exposure Therapy (WET), or Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) may help within a few moths. Other clients may need longer-term support, particularly if the trauma was chronic, occurred in early life, or affected relationships and identity in deeper ways.
At Aviva, we tailor therapy to your pace and needs. There is no set timeline for healing and we are here both short and long-term to help you navigate your expereinces and reconnect with yourself.
Can therapy help if my trauma was a long time ago?
Yes. Therapy can help no matter when the trauma happened. Many individuals don't seek support until years after the event(s). Trauma can stick in our minds and bodies without taking the time to heal.
Unresolved trauma can show up in subtle ways: anxiety, emotional numbness, relationship struggles, chronic tension, or feeling “stuck” in the past. Trauma-informed therapy helps you gently process what happened, understand how it’s still affecting you, and begin to feel more grounded, safe, and whole. It's never too late to heal.
Ready for something new?
The past may shape your past, but it doesn’t have to define your future. We’re here to help you take the next step.
