Deepen Wellness helps clients with all types of trauma. Oftentimes, there is developmental abuse or neglect or subtle forms of emotional abuse that can occur in our family systems that impact the ways that we see ourselves and the world, whether intentional or unintentional. Trauma that is more of a discrete or one-time occurrence, as well as sexual or physical abuse that has happened in a variety of contexts, is also something that we are able to help clients with. In the field, we call it Big T and little T trauma, and all types that we are comfortable helping, as what, on face value, may not seem like trauma to some people, it could have a huge impact on someone else. We understand that our emotional systems are complex and that there are many factors impacting the way that our brain and body store events.
When you’ve experienced trauma, your mind and body can stay on high alert—long after the threat has passed.
At Deepen Wellness, we help clients recover from many forms of trauma, including:
- Childhood emotional neglect
- Developmental trauma
- Family dysfunction and attachment wounds
- Emotional abuse
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse and assault
- Religious trauma
- Relationship trauma
- Medical trauma
- Substance use-related trauma
- Eating disorder-related trauma
- Grief and loss
- PTSD and Complex PTSD
- Single-incident traumatic events
Step 1: Start with a Thorough Assessment
Every person’s story is unique. We begin with a comprehensive assessment process to understand your life experiences, relationships, strengths, coping strategies, challenges, and goals. This allows us to gain the fullest picture possible before introducing significant therapeutic interventions.
Step 2: Focus on Stabilization and Grounding
If you are experiencing significant emotional dysregulation, feeling overwhelmed, or living in a constant state of survival mode, we first focus on helping you feel more grounded and stable. Before trauma processing can begin, it is important to create a foundation of safety and support.
Step 3: Build Healthy Coping Skills
For some clients, treatment initially centers on developing practical skills to manage emotions and daily challenges. We may incorporate DBT or RO DBT techniques to help strengthen emotional regulation, improve self-care, and replace harmful coping mechanisms—such as substance use, eating disorder behaviors, or other self-destructive patterns—with healthier alternatives.
Step 4: Determine Readiness for Trauma Processing
Not everyone is ready to begin trauma processing immediately. Together, we assess whether you have the internal resources, coping skills, and support systems needed to engage in deeper trauma work safely and effectively.
Step 5: Begin Trauma Processing Using Evidence-Based Approaches
When you feel ready, we may incorporate approaches such as Brainspotting, EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), or embodied therapies. These methods can help you process traumatic experiences while remaining connected to your body, emotions, and present-moment awareness.
Step 6: Move at a Pace That Feels Safe
Trauma work is never rushed. We move as slowly as necessary to help you stay grounded throughout the healing process. Our goal is to support meaningful healing without overwhelming your nervous system.
Step 7: Build Trust Through a Safe Therapeutic Relationship
Many people need time to feel comfortable discussing the most painful parts of their experiences. We prioritize creating a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where trust can develop naturally. You decide what to share, when to share it, and how quickly you want to move through the process.
Step 8: Honor Your Individual Healing Journey
There is no single path to trauma recovery. Throughout therapy, we collaborate with you to create an approach that fits your unique needs, goals, and pace, ensuring that healing feels both manageable and sustainable.
What Makes Deepen Wellness Different
Deepen Wellness’s approach is unique because it continues to evolve based on what the mental health field is learning and the evidence-based approaches that we are understanding. In addition, we see what works for our clients, and we try a variety of techniques. If the person has already had a particular type of therapy and is curious about a different one, we can shift gears. Luckily, we know many techniques for healing from trauma. The client and therapist co-direct the experience, and often the client is the driver.
Frequently Asked Questions, Answered
How do you help clients feel emotionally safe?
We help enhance emotional safety with clients by moving at the pace that they feel comfortable with. We also work with people on disclosing their life experiences at a pace that they feel comfortable with and only what they feel comfortable sharing. Creating a non-judgmental, calm, and attuned space with the utmost education and skills helps clients feel seen and held while creating a pace for their work. Also, assessing readiness for trauma work based on current symptoms and stability helps create an approach for each person depending on their needs without an agenda.
What are some common fears or concerns clients have before starting?
Oftentimes, people are scared of having to talk about things they do not want to share; they are afraid of falling apart if they deal with their trauma since they are barely holding it together already; they will be forced to tell the whole story or share secrets they are ashamed of or fear judgment about.
What should clients know about trauma healing?
It goes at your own pace, and you get to decide what to share and what you do not share; it takes time, and it is a process. Doing Brainspotting and other embodied therapies can help heal trauma faster, but it is important to build a relationship to have safety first and not go at a pace that is not compassionate or continues a pattern of being hard on oneself or having unrealistic expectations.
Are trauma sessions in-person, virtual, or both?
Sessions can be in person or virtual, or they can be a combination of the two.
What is Deepen Wellness's philosophy on trauma recovery and healing?
Healing from trauma is multifaceted for most people. Understanding the process that the client has already been through in order to try other modalities and/ or understand what was effective for them in the previous therapies. A combination of talk therapy and embodied work with attention to the nervous system can all help come to a healing from a balanced and thorough approach. Most of the time, we try to heal trauma verbally when three different brain systems are witnesses to the trauma. The other brain systems need to process and release the trauma as well, so using embodied modalities, brainspotting/ EMDR, and nervous system-based approaches can help with inhabiting our bodies in a different way through attunement and attention. So, using multiple methods that help address different aspects of trauma healing helps create a more thorough healing.
Emotional Symptoms
- Anxiety and chronic worry
- Shame and self-criticism
- Emotional overwhelm
- Anger or irritability
- Difficulty trusting others
- Feeling disconnected from yourself
Behavioral Symptoms
- Substance use
- Eating disorder behaviors
- People-pleasing
- Perfectionism
- Overworking
- Difficulty setting boundaries
- Avoidance behaviors
Physical Symptoms
- Chronic stress
- Sleep difficulties
- Digestive issues
- Chronic pain
- Fatigue
- Nervous system dysregulation
- Feeling constantly “on edge”
What You Can Expect From Our Trauma Therapists
Depending on the type of therapy the client is most likely to benefit from, the sessions may look different. For example, for Brainspotting, the sessions are structured to use that technique for most of the session. If someone is coming from a higher level of care, we are going to be continuing to work on skills that would help them continue to ground before we are going to do trauma work. If a client is grounded and feels ready to embark on the trauma healing journey, after the assessment, we may start to talk about some of the smaller hardships that have happened slowly while developing trust and rapport. Then, as the client is ready, at their pace, they can talk about more things that they would like to work on and understand the impact on their lives. Trauma work in this approach is at a slower pace with emotional and body attunement to try to release the stored aspects of the trauma in the person and in their lives. There are so many ways to help with trauma, but it is not a rip-off-the-band-aid type of experience. A lot of people think that they want to have quick and intense trauma treatment, but the truth is that it can be another manifestation of the trauma itself. Going too quickly in trauma work without integration can be unnecessarily painful and overwhelming, and perpetuate the self-neglect so many people with trauma are accustomed to.
Why Choose Deepen Wellness for Trauma Therapy in Atlanta?
Since 1997, Dr. Arnold has worked with individuals across the lifespan, helping clients heal from trauma, rebuild their lives, and develop healthier relationships with themselves and others.
Dr. Tara Arnold and the Deepen Wellness team bring decades of experience treating trauma across multiple levels of care, including mental health, substance abuse, and eating disorder treatment.
Our team integrates specialized training in:
- DBT
- RO DBT
- Brainspotting
- EMDR
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Hypnotherapy
- Embodied Recovery
- Trauma-Informed Care
Brainspotting vs. EMDR: What’s the Difference — and Why More Clients Are Choosing Brainspotting
About Our Clinical Director, Tara Arnold
I am DBT intensively trained, RO DBT Level 3 certified, Certified Brainspotting therapist, RTY-200, hypnotherapist, and certified eating disorder specialist consultant.
I started my career working in-patient mental health and substance abuse in 1997, and I have worked in the field ever since. I have worked at all levels of care for mental health, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Most people who are in higher levels of care have had some type of trauma, neglect, or emotional abuse, so I have worked with people at all ages, from children to older adults, at these higher levels of care with all kinds of experiences.
Trauma Therapy Available In-Person and Online
Deepen Wellness & Psychotherapy offers both in-person therapy in Atlanta, Decatur, East Cobb, and virtual trauma therapy throughout Georgia.
Whether you are beginning your healing journey or seeking a new approach after previous therapy experiences, we are here to support you.
Trauma Treatment Center in Atlanta, GA
You do not have to carry the weight of trauma alone.
Healing is possible. Recovery is possible. And you deserve a therapeutic relationship that honors your story, your pace, and your capacity for growth.
Contact Deepen Wellness & Psychotherapy today to learn more about trauma therapy in Atlanta and schedule an appointment with one of our experienced trauma specialists. Reach out to us at www.deepenwellness.com, 404-964-6629, or info@deepenwellness.com.