Trauma therapy

What happened to you can keep shaping how you feel long after it's over. Therapy can help it loosen its grip, at a pace that feels safe.

Trauma isn't only about the event. It's about what stayed with you afterward: the tension that never fully lets go, the memories that arrive uninvited, and the parts of life you've learned to avoid without quite deciding to.

Trauma can come from a single overwhelming experience, like an accident, an assault, or a sudden loss. It can also build slowly, through years of feeling unsafe, unseen, or criticized at home, through racism and discrimination, or through the upheaval of migration and starting over somewhere new.

There's no threshold your experience has to meet. If something from your past is still showing up in your body, your relationships, or the way you see yourself, it deserves care.

You might recognize:

Feeling on edge, easily startled, or always bracing
Memories, nightmares, or reminders that pull you back
Avoiding people, places, or topics without knowing why
Feeling numb, disconnected, or far away from yourself
Shame or self-blame about what happened
Trouble trusting others or feeling safe in closeness
Reactions that feel bigger than the moment

Where trauma can come from.

A single event: an accident, assault, medical crisis, or sudden loss
Childhood neglect, criticism, or instability
Racism, discrimination, and identity-based harm
Migration, displacement, and family separation
Relationships that were frightening or controlling

Trauma responses made sense when they formed. They were ways of protecting yourself. Therapy helps you recognize them and decide what you still need.

How therapy helps.

Talk therapy for trauma

We start with safety and stability. That means building trust, understanding how trauma shows up for you, and finding ways to steady yourself when things feel overwhelming. You won't be pushed to share details before you're ready.

From there, therapy can help you make sense of what happened, ease the shame and self-blame that often come with it, and reconnect with the parts of your life that trauma has narrowed.

EMDR, when it fits

Tina Liu, LMHC-D, is EMDR-trained. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based approach that can help with memories that stay stuck even after you've talked them through. Learn more about EMDR.

Start Your Therapy Journey

Sliding scale spots are currently open with Laila Siddiqui, MHC-I for clients located in New York — you choose what you can pay, from $30 to $80 per session. See fees & insurance.

Who you'll work with.

Tina Liu, LMHC-D

Founder & psychotherapist. EMDR-trained, culturally attuned, licensed in New York & Florida.

About Tina →

Laila Siddiqui, MHC-I

Mental Health Counselor. Works with teens and young adults in New York, under the clinical supervision of Tina Liu, LMHC-D. Sliding scale spots available.

About Laila →

Junli Xiao, MHC-I

Mental Health Counselor. Works with adolescents and young adults in New York, in English and Mandarin, under the clinical supervision of Tina Liu, LMHC-D.

About Junli →

Our clinical team is growing — new therapists joining soon.

Not sure where to start? Send us a note and we'll figure it out together.

Trauma therapy — common questions

Do I have to talk about what happened in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Trauma therapy starts with safety and stability, and many people begin by focusing on how they feel now rather than retelling the past.

What's the difference between trauma therapy and EMDR?

Trauma therapy is a broad term for therapy that helps you heal from difficult experiences, often through talk therapy. EMDR is one specific, evidence-based approach for processing distressing memories. Tina Liu, LMHC-D, offers EMDR, and all of our therapists offer talk therapy for trauma.

Who can have online trauma therapy with you?

Anyone physically located in New York at the time of each session can work with any of our therapists. Clients located in Florida can work with Tina Liu, LMHC-D.