topStrip1

User Icon callStrip

Trauma counseling in Alexandria, VA

  • Receive expert guidance to help you address the past traumatic events and eventually process your emotions with our trauma counselors in Alexandria.
  • Therapies/counseling for PTSD and individualized plans to increase your chances of recovery.
businessman Find a Counselor topStrip1 call ico 703-955-3703

What is Trauma?

You may feel insecure as a result of an emotional or physical reaction to a tragic incident, but trauma-focused treatment can help you build resilience and take steps toward the life you want.

Trauma, which can come in many different forms, is the outcome of extreme stress that surpasses a person's capacity to handle or process the emotions associated with that experience. We at Alexandria Counseling are here to support you on your road to recovery and healing since we are aware of the particular consequences of trauma. We offer specialized, individualized counseling services that are catered to your needs in order to help you reclaim control over your life and find serenity.

Learn How Therapy Can Help
Trauma counseling for Adults in Alexandria, VA

Adults with a history of violence or traumatic experience are most likely to seek emotional stability. They can take PTSD therapy in Alexandria and get moving and psychological resilience by working with therapeutic counseling.

Trauma Counseling for Teenagers & Adolescents in Alexandria, VA

Any past traumatic event or a bullying episode might result in post-traumatic responses in teenagers and adolescents. The best counseling for trauma in Alexandria is dedicated to helping individuals to acknowledge their vulnerability and cope with past events by addressing and resolving them with the help of therapy.

Trauma counseling for Seniors in Alexandria, VA

Trauma counseling for seniors focuses on encouragement, motivation, and indulging the feeling of acceptance. Our counselors for trauma in Alexandria are dedicated to help address and resolve challenges with the help of therapy.

Symptoms of Trauma

Our trauma counselors in Alexandria want to give you the tools and support you need to recover from traumatic experiences.

  • Aggressiveness
  • Panic and anxiety attacks
  • Conflict & Violence
  • Profound Depression
  • Unable to Concentrate
  • Social Exclusion
  • Despair-Filled Emotions
  • Accusations of Guilt and Self

Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A psychological ailment called post-traumatic stress disorder is likely to be brought on by scary occurrences, which may include:

  • The recent loss of your loved ones
  • Any unexpected event in life
  • Natural Disasters

Trauma Tcounseling & Treatment Processes in Alexandria, VA

Our team of highly skilled and passionate trauma counselors in Alexandria can help you on the path to recovery.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

One particular form of cognitive behavioral treatment is called Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). It was created by Patricia Resick, Ph.D., ABPP, as a trauma therapy.
Your trauma counselor collaborates with you to uncover stresses and beliefs that keep you trapped during CPT sessions. CPT is a highly structured therapy strategy that aims to help you address your problematic and unrealistic thinking while assisting you in facing your feared memories and thoughts connected to a traumatic incident.

Couples Counseling in Alexandria

Prolonged Exposure Trauma Therapy in Alexandria

PTSD can be treated behaviorally with prolonged exposure (PE). Trauma treatment focuses on learned behaviors that people use as a defense mechanism against traumatic experiences or memories. The goal of exposure treatment is to lessen a person's anxiety and terror. The main way to accomplish this is through actively facing one's concerns. Long-term exposure Assumed exposure, confronting a fear head-on, learning about PTSD, and retraining breathing patterns are all part of PTSD counseling in Alexandria.

Couples Counseling in Alexandria

Trauma-focused CBT in Alexandria

A PTSD therapist/counselor in Alexandria can offer trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) therapy to treat the unique mental and emotional requirements of trauma survivors, mostly children and teenagers. The focus of the treatment is mostly on the specific issues that post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders present in young people.

Couples Counseling in Alexandria

Psychodynamic Trauma-Based Therapy

The psychological interpretation of mental and emotional processes is what psychodynamic therapy for trauma entails. Facilitating a greater understanding of one's emotions is a part of this trauma therapy.
In other words, your therapists will assist you in comprehending how your prior experiences have influenced your present-day conduct and interpersonal dynamics. The purpose is to assist you in recognising the subconscious motivations behind your actions.

Couples Counseling in Alexandria
Treatment Process

Meet Our Trauma Counselors in Alexandria, VA

Our team of experienced & avid trauma counselors in Alexandria helps you learn and practice various coping skills while reducing negative stress symptoms.

We Accept

Request a Session

Google Ratings

Rated 4.8 out of 5
star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

What Our Clients Are Saying

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

Easy to use website that includes lots of information even insurance and payment info. They offer a wide variety of services including life coaching, counseling and psychiatry. You can get all of your needs met in one place

Tonia

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

Lifebulb’s services are more tailored to the specific needs of their clients. Overall, lifebulb offers a more personalized, community-oriented and supportive environment for both clients and counselors. I highly recommend Lifebulb!

Tim

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

I highly recommend Lifebulb. This resource helps connect people to professional counselors which is so helpful especially in days like these. Its so incredibly important to have a good counselor to talk with. A good counselor will connect with you and talk you through lifes problems and situations as they arise. A good counselor will also help you process and understand things from a healthy perspective. Its so helpful to have a professional insight and not just biased personal opinions like what family and friends sometimes offer. Its so important to process our thoughts in a healthy way, talking things out and putting all the peices together so we can have a clear picture, a goal and more targeted communication which helps all our relationships. Wishing all reading this review you find someone you can connect with and learn from and grow into your best you.

Wendy

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

They are wonderful and really have a heart to help people!

Ethan

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

Life can be so very hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. The people at Lifebulb genuinely care. It helps to know you will always have someone at Lifebulb who will come alongside you and walk with you in support and encouragement. Needing help is human and when you reach out and ask for it, there is strength and healing to be found. Thank you Lifebulb.

Melissa

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

It's so good to have someone to objectively listen and help us solve our problems. Thank you

Lora

star icon star icon star icon star icon star icon

If you want to be supported and heard, then Lifebulb is a great place to go. Their care and guidance are invaluable. Totally recommend!

Alicia

Clinet review alexandria
logoFinal

Frequently Asked Questions

Our counselors | Insurance | Services Offered | Privacy

Mental health is just as important as physical health, and seeking professional help can sometimes be necessary to tackle life's challenges. Lifebulb Therapy & Counseling in Alexandria, VA offers a wide range of mental health services to help individuals overcome their struggles. Our services include but not limited to:

If you are searching for a supportive and empathetic counseling team, look no further than Lifebulb Counseling.

Trauma implies a psychological response to a catastrophic occurrence, such as an accident, rape, or natural disaster. After an incident, shock and denial are common emotions. In the long run, reactions can lead to erratic emotions, strained relationships, flashbacks, and even physical discomfort like headaches or nausea. Even though these emotions are common, some people find it difficult to go on with their life. They can work with psychologists to learn healthy coping mechanisms for their feelings.

A long traumatic experience or a very stressful, frightful, or upsetting incident can both lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Events of the following kinds can result in Trauma:

  • major mishaps
  • abuse of any kind, including physical or sexual assault
  • work-related trauma exposure, including distant exposure
  • major health issues, such as being hospitalized in a hospital's intensive care unit
  • experiences related to delivery, such as losing a baby
  • losing a loved one
  • war and conflict
  • Torture

If you have been going through any of the following, Lifebulb suggests you to look for help. You can reach out to us by simply calling us on our helpline 24x7 or you can search for us online, simply search, ‘trauma therapist near’ me ‘ptsd therapist near me.’

After experiencing a traumatic occurrence, you may be more likely to experience sadness or anxiety, or you may not get as much support from family or friends. Trauma or PTSD might also be influenced by genetics. For instance, it is believed that having a parent with a mental health issue increases your risk of getting the illness.

Consult a PTSD therapist or mental health expert if stress and other issues brought on by a traumatic experience are interfering with your life. As you continue receiving trauma based therapy in Alexandria, VA, you can additionally do the following things:

  • Observe your trauma therapy regimen. Even though it could take some time for trauma therapy or medicine to start working, most people do recover. Keep in mind that it takes time. You can advance if you stick to your treatment plan and keep in regular contact with your mental health expert.
  • Study up on Trauma and PTSD. When you have a better understanding of how you're feeling, you may create coping mechanisms that will enable you to react appropriately.
  • Maintain contact. Spend time with people who are encouraging and caring, such as family, friends, religious leaders, or others. If you don't want to, you are under no obligation to discuss what took place. Even just spending time with loved ones can be therapeutic and counseling.
  • Take a look at a support network. Find a support system by contacting veterans' organizations, your local social services agency, or a mental health professional. Alternatively, search a directory of local support groups online.
  • Get enough sleep, maintain a nutritious diet, engage in exercise, and relax. Caffeine and nicotine should be limited or avoided as they might make anxiety worse.
  • Never use self-medication. It may be tempting to use drinks or drugs to dull your emotions, but doing so is unhealthy. It may cause additional issues in the future and hinder recovery.
  • Cut the cycle off. Take a quick stroll or dive into a hobby to help you refocus when you're feeling stressed.

A mental health professional often evaluates the suspected individual and in case the criteria of PTSD is met, a medical diagnosis is made. In such cases, you can see a ptsd therapist near me and can go for the required counseling.

There are physiological changes that explain how an unexpected event can result in PTSD. The areas of the brain such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex often show lasting changes in PTSD diagnosis individuals. You can find a trauma therapist in Alexandria, VA, who can help in early treatment of the traumatic episodes.

Shock and denial are frequently the typical responses to a terrible occurrence. These emotional emotions may subside with time, but a victim may potentially continue to feel them throughout time. These may consist of the following:

  • Anger
  • Persistent melancholy and hopelessness
  • Flashbacks
  • Unexpected feelings
  • Physical signs including headaches and nausea
  • Intense guilt, as though they were somehow to blame for the situation
  • Different feelings of shame
  • Isolation and a sense of hopelessness

If you have been experiencing any of the following, Lifebulb suggests you to look for help. You can reach out to us by simply calling us on our helpline 24x7 or you can search for us online, simply search, ‘best trauma therapist near me’ or ‘trauma and ptsd therapist in Alexandria’ or ‘best trauma therapist in Alexandria’ or ‘trauma based therapy near me’ or ‘trauma and ptsd therapist near me.’

A highly stressful occurrence can make it challenging for a person to recover their regular state of mind. Some people encounter mental health issues as a result of the experience. There are seven different types of trauma disorders, including the following:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Among the most well-known trauma disorders is PTSD. In a given year, it is predicted to have an impact on about 8 million adult Americans. PTSD occurs when a person experiences a traumatic event. Although it's typical for the first signs of a traumatic experience to appear in the days that follow, symptoms can even start to appear months later.

Complex PTSD People who experience repeated or ongoing Trauma, including being abused as a child, may develop a separate illness called complex PTSD (C-PTSD). This and post-traumatic stress disorder are very similar.

Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) Compared to PTSD, acute stress disorder lasts for a shorter time. Immediately following a traumatic experience, ASD symptoms appear and might last for three days to a month. If symptoms continue for more than a month, the person has PTSD.

Adjustment Disorders - Adjustment disorders are typically transient and brought on by traumatic life events, including divorce, losing a job, receiving a serious sickness diagnosis, or losing a loved one. Some people can handle the stress of these circumstances on their own, but others require assistance from a physician or mental health specialist.

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) - Children with reactive attachment disorder struggle to establish secure ties to their caretakers. A kid is more likely to develop RAD if their fundamental needs are not satisfied or if they are often placed with changing caretakers.

Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED) - Reactive attachment disorder may be replaced by disinhibited social engagement disorder in children who were unable to create healthy ties to their caregivers. Despite sharing similar roots, the symptoms of these two illnesses are very dissimilar.

You can reclaim control of your life with the aid of trauma therapy in Alexandria, VA, or ptsd therapy. The primary type of treatment is psychotherapy, though medications may also be employed. You don't have to put in any effort to bear the burden of the Trauma on your own. Here is a trauma treatment.

Cognitive therapy- Talk therapy of this type helps you uncover the cognitive patterns (ways of thinking) that are keeping you immobile, such as negative self-perceptions and the potential for recurrent traumatic occurrences. For PTSD, cognitive treatment and exposure therapy are usually combined.

Exposure treatment– This behavioral therapy aids you in safely confronting unpleasant memories and events so you can create effective coping skills. Exposure therapy may work particularly well for flashbacks and nightmares. Utilizing virtual reality programs that enable you to visit the Trauma scene is one approach.

Desensitization and reprocessing of eye movement (EMDR)- You can process painful memories and alter how you respond to them with the use of EMDR, which combines exposure therapy and a series of guided eye movements.

Your therapist can assist you in learning stress management techniques so that you can deal with stress in your life more effectively. All of these methods can assist you in taking charge of lingering fear following a traumatic occurrence. You and your mental health professional can talk about what kind of counseling or treatment options would best suit your requirements. Try group treatment, individual counseling, or both. A way to interact with people going through comparable circumstances is through group therapy.

Lifebulb therapists and counselors specialized in providing in-person or online trauma therapy, counseling, care, and treatment for a wide variety of mental healthcare needs and issues, including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, grief & loss, trauma, PTSD, couples counseling, marriage counseling, life transitions, adjustment disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia, eating disorders, child counseling, teen and adolescent therapy, anger management, career coaching, life coaching, ADHD treatment,bipolar, treatment, family therapy, panic attack, phobias, substance abuse, virtual trauma therapy, online counseling, EMDR, EFT, and many more.

Your first session with a Lifebulb trauma therapist or counselor won't simply be a background or demographic information-gathering session - We know deciding to get help is a big deal and a difficult step. That's why our first offline or online trauma therapy session with you will be about providing you with the service you're seeking and proving that the trauma therapy process can work with the right effort and commitment from both sides.

We believe getting access to a trauma disorder specialist or counselor should be quick and easy. So our process is straightforward. Simply browse our therapists' bios to find the right fit for you and schedule a virtual trauma focused therapy in Alexandria or in-person counseling session online. Or call our office, and a team member can help make sure you're matched with the right trauma therapist or counselor for you and your goals. Whether best therapy for trauma in Alexandria online or offline, your therapist will help you with an individualized trauma treatment plan to help you reach your specific goals.

If you are experiencing an emergency right now, please call 911 right away.

While Lifebulb is not a crisis bipolar treatment center and Lifebulb trauma therapists and counselors are not emergency services, we understand that urgent matters can and will pop up from time to time. You will have direct email and phone access to your therapist or trauma treatment center, who will make their best effort to be available to you when you reach out. Depending on your specific trauma treatment plan, your trauma therapist may provide you with resources to use or contact when situations occur beyond the scope of your online trauma therapy or offline trauma therapy work together.

When you book a session with your therapist or counselor, our team will email you a confirmation of your appointment date and time with a link to the virtual trauma therapy room. Click the link and log in to the virtual trauma therapy room a few minutes before your session, and your trauma disorder specialists will meet you there.

Yes. All of our therapists are able to provide best online trauma therapy in Alexandria, VA, and trauma treatment services to our clients.

We use a HIPAA-compliant video counseling service integrated into our Electronic Health Records System to provide a smooth process for our clients to engage in online trauma therapy sessions.

Booking a session with us is easy. Simply call our office or request a specific session time from our website, and a team member can book you with the best possible fit as a trauma therapist or confirm your online session details. We'll review insurance information and a few simple policies and email you a confirmation of your session date and time, whether in-person or virtual trauma therapy. How can I cancel my appointment? We have a flexible cancellation policy. Simply call our office or reach out to your counselor 24 hours or more before your session time to cancel or reschedule an in-person or virtual trauma therapy appointment.

Booking a session with us is easy and flexible, with several options. You can find us online by simply searching 'trauma therapist near me ' or ‘trauma specialists near me’ or call our office, and a team member can book you with the best fit-in trauma therapist. We'll review insurance information and a few simple policies and email you a confirmation of your session date and time, whether in-person or virtual. Or you can select your ideal trauma therapist from our website, select a session time that works for you, and we'll reach out to you to confirm your appointment details.

We have a flexible cancellation policy. Call our office or reach out to your counselor or trauma therapist 24 hours or more before your online trauma therapy session time to cancel or reschedule any appointment at no cost.

Trauma treatment is often a long-term process that can help in improving overall mental health. It has been demonstrated that trauma therapy can enhance feelings and behaviors and is associated with healthy adjustments to the brain and body. There is never a guaranteed "cure," but therapy helps make positive lifestyle changes.

We accept many major commercial insurance plans, including Aetna, Amerihealth, Cigna, Optum Health, United Healthcare, Tricare, and others. If you don't see your insurance listed, we would be happy to verify your benefits to see if we can accept them, and if not, we offer you an affordable self-pay rate.

At Lifebulb, we operate without any ongoing membership or fees. We believe that everyone deserves to receive the best online trauma therapy service experience. And we believe those benefits should come free of any ongoing out-of-pocket fees simply for engaging in trauma therapy. With us, your only session costs will be those set by your insurance provider or our low self-pay rate.

While many practices accept only self-pay clients or out-of-network benefits, at Lifebulb, we aim to keep your costs low by accepting most major insurance plans. Often the out-of-pocket expense per online trauma therapy session is a low copay determined by your specific insurance provider and plan. We also offer a self-pay rate lower than many practices for those without insurance or simply preferring not to use their healthcare benefits for in-person or virtual trauma focused therapy.

At Lifebulb, we are extremely picky about who we hire to help you achieve your ptsd therapy goals. But we understand that every trauma therapist may not be the perfect match for every client. If your therapy experience is less than you hoped, we will help you get set up to see someone you prefer.

We take the responsibility of maintaining your privacy seriously. Lifebulb is considered a covered entity under HIPAA guidelines, which means we are subject to all HIPAA rules and regulations. If you have any questions (or recommendations) about our privacy and security practices, we want to help. Contact us at privacy@lifebulb.com.

Therapists that don't enjoy their workplace are often, unfortunately, unable to provide their clients with the best possible level of counseling and trauma therapy. That's why at Lifebulb, our trauma therapists are our top priority. This means that your counselor or therapist can provide you, their client, with the best bipolar treatment because they enjoy the work they do in session with you, where they work, and who they work with.

Our online trauma therapy sessions are all conducted by our therapist to aid trauma in private spaces, and our video platform is contained within our HIPAA-compliant Electronic Health Records system, so your face, voice, and data are always private and protected.

Lifebulb is considered a covered entity under HIPAA guidelines, which means we are subject to all HIPAA rules and regulations. If you have any questions (or recommendations) about our privacy and security practices, we want to help. Contact us at privacy@lifebulb.com.

At Lifebulb, our biggest difference lies in our therapists. Many practices, large and small, often put growing businesses before growing people. It may sound simple, but at Lifebulb, we treat our therapists like valuable people that provide a valuable service. What does that mean for our clients? While we believe therapists and counselors, regardless of where they work, do their best for their clients, we've found that therapists who genuinely enjoy where they work are able to provide the best therapy for trauma disorder to those they help. To that end, our primary goal at Lifebulb is to provide our therapists with the best possible environment in which to operate. In doing so, we believe Lifebulb clients are best positioned to accomplish their bipolar treatment goals through in-person counseling or virtual therapy for trauma.

At Lifebulb, we are extremely selective about the therapists we hire because we know choosing the right therapist can make all the difference in our clients reaching their goals. Our trauma therapists are all educated at the masters level and above and have received several years of hands-on training before becoming fully licensed clinicians. Even among the pool of highly trained therapists, we only work with those who align with our core values. That way, we know your trauma therapist will go the extra mile to help you and offer the best therapy for trauma disorder online or in-person counseling.

Lifebulb’s clinics has several locations for providing in-person counseling and is adding more regularly. We also provide telehealth or online therapy session services for those who may live distant from our offices.

All our counselors are highly educated and trained and have received their full clinical licensure from practicing counseling. We also thoroughly interview each of our therapists, ensure that they pass a background check, and train them in-house to work with us. Additionally, we ensure that each of our counselors and therapists participates in ongoing education to continue to provide the best in-person and online trauma therapy in Alexandria, VA, possible.

It is important that our clients work with the best possible fit as a trauma therapist for their specific treatments for trauma disorder. This is why we provide detailed bios of our therapists for our clients to review before reaching out to us. If you have a specific trauma therapist in mind to work with, we would be happy to schedule you to see them. We also understand that our clients don't always match perfectly with their therapist, and in the case of a less-than-great fit, we will help you to find the right match among our team and, if necessary, provide the best referral we can to someone more suited to help you beyond our walls.

A professional counselor is a master- or PhD-level mental health professional approved by a state licensure board to diagnose and treat mental health disorders. The exact name of a professional counselor's license can vary by state, but some of the most common are: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).

We do employ licensed clinical psychologists, as psychologists can offer services, such as best online trauma therapy in Alexandria, VA, and psychological testing, that many other license types are unable to offer. Many times, your counselor or therapist can work in tandem with a psychologist to provide bipolar medication, trauma therapy and psychological testing when necessary to better provide for your specific needs or goals. In this way, we are able to better provide for a wider range of your needs.

Our Resources

Browse our expansive list of carefully curated resources to learn about trauma counseling.