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Therapy & PTSD Treatment in Chicago & Northbrook IL

Trauma does not always look the way people expect. It is not only combat or disaster. It is the childhood where safety was never quite certain. The relationship that left you questioning your own reality. The accident you still cannot think about without your heart pounding. The years of something that was hard to name but left a mark all the same.

If part of you is still stuck in something that happened, even if it was a long time ago, that is not weakness. That is how trauma works in the nervous system. And it is possible to heal from it.

What Is Trauma?
Trauma is the lasting emotional, psychological, and physiological impact of experiences that overwhelmed a person’s capacity to cope. Not everyone who experiences a distressing event develops trauma, and trauma responses are not a measure of how strong or resilient a person is. They are the nervous system’s attempt to protect against what it perceived as a genuine threat.
What Trauma Can Look Like
  • Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
  • Avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you of what happened
  • Emotional numbness or feeling disconnected from yourself or others
  • Hypervigilance, always scanning for danger even when you are safe
  • Difficulty trusting other people
  • Shame, self-blame, or a persistent sense of being damaged
  • Chronic anxiety, depression, or irritability
  • Physical tension, pain, or unexplained somatic symptoms
  • Difficulty with intimacy or relationships
  • Feeling stuck in patterns you cannot seem to change
“Trauma is deeply personal in its impact, and it can live in our body and nervous system in ways we don’t always recognize or connect back to the source. Some might fear that trauma work is unstructured and unnecessarily painful; but trauma work is really methodical, relational, and well-supported. This isn’t about ripping out stitches, but carefully learning what happened, how it shaped us, create new understandings/awareness, and learning how we move forward with incremental healing.”
– Rose Metivier, LCPC, NCC, Midwest Counseling & Diagnostics
Types of Trauma We Treat
  • Single-incident trauma: accidents, assault, medical trauma, natural disasters
  • Childhood and developmental trauma
  • Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from chronic or repeated trauma
  • Sexual trauma and abuse
  • Relational trauma and domestic violence
  • Medical trauma and traumatic loss
  • Secondary or vicarious trauma
How We Treat Trauma
Our trauma-trained clinicians draw from EMDR, Somatic Experiencing (SE), Internal Family Systems (IFS), NARM, and trauma-focused CBT. The approach is always tailored to the individual, with careful attention to stabilization and safety before any processing work begins.
Trauma Therapy in Chicago, Northbrook, and via Telehealth
Our team includes specialists in trauma and PTSD treatment serving adults and adolescents in Chicago and Northbrook, and via telehealth across Illinois and many other states. Call (312) 291-9570 or book a consultation online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma Therapy

What is the most effective therapy for PTSD and trauma?
EMDR and Trauma-Focused CBT are recognized as first-line treatments for PTSD by major clinical organizations. Somatic Experiencing, IFS, and NARM are widely used for complex and developmental trauma. The most effective approach depends on the type of trauma, individual history, and capacity for processing at a given time.

What is the difference between trauma and PTSD?
Trauma refers broadly to the psychological and physiological impact of overwhelming experiences. PTSD is a specific clinical diagnosis characterized by intrusive symptoms, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and hyperarousal persisting for more than one month. Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD.

What is complex trauma?
Complex trauma refers to the impact of chronic, repeated traumatic experiences, particularly involving interpersonal harm in early life. It tends to affect identity, emotional regulation, relationships, and a person’s fundamental sense of self and safety in ways that single-incident trauma may not.

Do I have to talk about what happened in trauma therapy?
No. Many effective trauma therapies, including EMDR and Somatic Experiencing, do not require detailed verbal recounting of traumatic events. Your therapist will work at a pace that feels manageable and will prioritize safety and stability before approaching any processing work.

Is trauma therapy available via telehealth?
Yes. Many evidence-based trauma therapies including EMDR have been adapted for telehealth with strong effectiveness. Midwest Counseling offers trauma therapy via telehealth across Illinois and many other states.

Reach out to start
your healing journey today.
(312) 291-9570
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