Trauma Therapy in Austin, TX
Heal at Your Own Pace with a Specialist Who Gets It
Trauma doesn't just live in your memories. It lives in your body, your nervous system, and the automatic reactions that catch you off guard every day. If you've been trying to "just get over it" and it hasn't worked, that's not a personal failing. That's the nature of trauma.
At Marsha Lowes Psychotherapy, our trauma therapy in Austin gives you a safe, structured path toward healing one that works with your nervous system, not against it.
What Is Trauma and Do You Have It?
Trauma isn't defined by what happened to you. It's defined by how your system responded. Two people can experience the same event and carry entirely different wounds. There's no threshold to meet, no "bad enough" to qualify.
You may benefit from working with a trauma therapist in Austin if you experience:
Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
Emotional numbness or feeling disconnected from yourself
A persistent sense of shame, worthlessness, or feeling broken
Hypervigilance — always waiting for something to go wrong
Difficulty trusting others or maintaining close relationships
Patterns of relating that feel self-destructive but impossible to change
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is one of the most misunderstood and underdiagnosed conditions in the US. Many people live with PTSD for years or decades without realizing what they're dealing with, because their symptoms don't match the narrow picture popular culture presents.
As a dedicated PTSD therapist in Austin, I work with both acute PTSD following a specific traumatic event and complex PTSD (C-PTSD) resulting from long-term trauma exposure. Both are treatable. Both deserve specialized, compassionate care.
Our EMDR therapy in Austin has a strong track record specifically with PTSD, it's endorsed by the American Psychological Association, the WHO, and the VA as a first-line treatment.
Specialized PTSD Therapy in Austin
My Approach to Trauma Therapy in Austin
Effective trauma therapy doesn't mean revisiting your worst memories again. Done poorly, that approach causes re-traumatization, it makes things worse. At Marsha Lowes Psychotherapy, I build carefully and move at your pace.
I established a foundation for safety. You'll learn to recognize your nervous system's signals, develop tools to regulate when activated, and build enough trust in the therapeutic relationship to feel genuinely supported.
Safety and Stabilization
Only when you're ready do I begin working through the traumatic material itself carefully, in manageable doses. You always set the pace. I never push faster than your system can handle.
Processing the Trauma
The goal is not to erase what happened. It's to integrate your experience, so it becomes part of your story rather than the thing running your life. This phase focuses on rebuilding your sense of self, relationships, and capacity to engage fully with the present.
Integration and Moving Forward
Complex Trauma Therapist in Austin Help To Treat
I, as your complex trauma therapist in Austin, have experience working with a wide spectrum of traumatic experiences including those that are often minimized or misunderstood.
Single-Incident Trauma
Accidents, assault, natural disasters, sudden loss, medical emergencies, or any event that overwhelmed your capacity to cope in the moment.
Complex Trauma (C-PTSD)
Repeated or prolonged exposure to trauma often in childhood including abuse, neglect, or growing up in an unsafe or unpredictable environment.
Relational & Attachment Trauma
Wounds that developed within relationships: emotional unavailability, chronic invalidation, betrayal, or trauma bonding in abusive dynamics.
Systemic & Identity-Based Trauma
Racism, discrimination, religious trauma, and the cumulative toll of living in systems that were not built with your safety or dignity in mind.
Evidence-Based Modalities I Use
EMDR Therapy
A highly effective, evidence-based method for processing traumatic memories. EMDR therapy in Austin works by using bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess stuck trauma so it no longer triggers the same intense reactions.
As a skilled PTSD therapist in Austin, I draw from several research-backed approaches selecting and combining what fits your specific history and healing stage.
Somatic Therapy
Trauma is stored in the body. Somatic work helps you develop awareness of physical sensations and safely discharge the survival energy that got stuck during a traumatic experience.
Attachment-Informed Therapy
Especially powerful for relational and childhood trauma, including trauma bonding therapy. Healing often happens through experiencing a consistent, attuned therapeutic relationship that slowly rewires old attachment patterns.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Works with the different "parts" of you the protector, the critic, the part that carries the pain, helping each one update its understanding of your current safety rather than operating from old survival rules.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Helps you identify and shift the stuck beliefs trauma created about yourself, safety, trust, and your worth, so they stop shaping your present-day decisions.
Why Choose Us for Trauma Therapy in Austin
Specialist Training
Our therapist has advanced training in trauma-focused modalities including EMDR, somatic approaches, and IFS, not a generalist adding trauma to a broad list.
Affirming and Inclusive
I serve all community: LGBTQ+ individuals, BIPOC clients, survivors of religious trauma, and anyone whose identity has been part of their wound.
No Re-traumatization
I know how to pace trauma work, so you make progress without being overwhelmed or destabilized.
In-person and Telehealth
Texas communities including Westlake, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Cedar Park, and Round Rock. Virtual sessions are available for clients across Texas.
All Trauma Welcome
Including complex, relational, systemic, and identity-based trauma that other providers may not have the training or cultural competence to address.
Flexible Scheduling
Evening and weekend appointments available to fit Austin's demanding schedules.
Ready to Start Healing? Take the First Step Today.
I provide trauma-informed care to adults throughout the Austin area, including Bee Cave, Cedar Park, Lakeway, West Lake Hills, Spanish Oaks, and surrounding Central Texas communities. Both in-person and telehealth sessions are available.
If you've been wondering whether your experiences "count" as trauma, or whether you're ready to do this work, I'm happy to talk through where you are. A consultation call is a chance to ask questions and get a sense of whether we'd be a good fit, no pressure either way.
Ready to take the next step? Reach out for a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Complex trauma comes from repeated or long-term traumatic experiences, often beginning in childhood. Unlike PTSD from a single event, complex trauma affects identity, emotional regulation, relationships, and trust, requiring specialized therapeutic approaches.
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No. Trauma therapy does not require reliving painful memories in detail. Therapists focus first on stabilization and safety, processing trauma gradually while allowing clients to control the pace.
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Trauma therapy length varies depending on trauma type, duration, support systems, and personal goals. Single-incident trauma may improve within 12–20 sessions, while complex trauma often requires longer-term therapeutic work.
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Yes. Childhood and developmental trauma include abuse, neglect, unstable caregiving, or unsafe environments. Therapy addresses underlying nervous system patterns using approaches that support emotional regulation, identity healing, and healthier relationships.
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Yes. Telehealth trauma therapy allows clients to attend sessions remotely from surrounding areas or elsewhere in Texas. Research shows virtual therapy can be as effective as in-person sessions.