What is trauma therapy?

Trauma therapy is a type of counseling that helps you process and heal from distressing or overwhelming experiences — whether that's a single event or a pattern of painful experiences over time. It can help reduce symptoms like anxiety, flashbacks, and emotional numbness, and help you feel more present, safe, and in control of your life again.

How is EMDR different from talk therapy?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) uses guided eye movements to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories that are 'stuck' in an unprocessed state. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to talk through every detail of what happened — it works with how your brain naturally processes information, which often makes it a faster and less re-traumatizing path to healing.

How do I know if what I went through 'counts' as trauma?

If an experience — big or small, recent or long past — is still affecting how you feel, think, or show up in your life today, it's worth addressing in therapy. You don't need a specific diagnosis or a dramatic story to benefit from trauma therapy. Many of the people I work with weren't sure their experiences 'qualified' as trauma either, and healing was still possible for them.

How long does trauma therapy take?

It depends on your history and goals. Some people notice a shift in a few sessions, especially with EMDR, which is designed to work more efficiently than traditional talk therapy. Others benefit from longer-term work, particularly with complex or repeated trauma. We'll talk through what to expect for your specific situation during your free consultation.

Do you offer virtual trauma therapy, or only in-person?

Both. I offer in-person trauma therapy at my Kirkland, WA office (Moss Bay neighborhood) and virtual trauma therapy throughout Washington State, so you can choose whichever fits your life best.

Who do you typically work with?

I specialize in working with women and BIPOC professionals who are navigating painful past experiences and want support processing big emotions tied to their history — so they can be fully present in their lives today.

Trauma Therapy in Kirkland, Washington

In-person therapy in Kirkland, WA & virtual therapy throughout WA State

Support for Those Who’ve Had to Be Strong for Too Long.

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In the blink of an eye, traumatic experiences can alter your life - this is what trauma therapy helps you heal.

Life has taken an unexpected turn, leaving you feeling different, confused, and scared. You might question whether you'll ever regain your sense of self or ever feel good again. Or perhaps the changes in your life weren't overnight, but your pain has grown with time. It's possible your life has been shaped by numerous subtle yet painful experiences. You might question if it qualifies as "trauma" or is just normal everyday life.

Whether it was a significant event or a series of smaller ones, you may wake up to a life that isn’t what you wanted. Maybe you’re not the person you know you could be. You have a deep sense that there must be more to life than this. However, the path to get there might be unclear. These are common experiences for people living with unresolved trauma or PTSD, and they're not a life sentence.

Common signs of trauma or PTSD - maybe you often are:

Feeling on edge, jumpy, or constantly looking out for danger?
Feeling worn out, tired, or just numb?
Feeling panicked, stressed out, or easily overwhelmed?
Dealing with flashbacks, nightmares, or bad images that you can’t get out of your head?
Struggling to focus, get things done, or recall important details?
Noticing that you aren’t able to have fun or enjoy life?

Your current experience is just a chapter; there's more to the story.

how i can help

Unburden the past for a more hopeful tomorrow.

I'm Angelica De Anda, LMHC, and I help women & BIPOC professionals struggling with painful past experiences learn how to navigate big emotions connected to the past so that they can be fully present today and find inner peace. You have already lived through some of the most painful experiences in your life. Through therapy, we can hold space to heal through these painful experiences and step towards gaining control of your life again!

Trauma can cause our brains to store information in a way that leads us to feel like the event is happening again, that it's unsafe, or prompts us to avoid certain things or thoughts. This isn't a sign of a defective brain, but rather its attempt to shield us from further stress. When overwhelmed by trauma, our brains tend to store information in this manner. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy can help shift this maladaptive information processing to an adaptive part of the brain, reducing symptoms of trauma and PTSD and allowing for a more liberated life. If you'd like to learn more about how EMDR works, visit our EMDR Therapy page .

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I want you to know:

Change is possible.

Let’s work together to reclaim your story and rediscover joy.

Book your free consult

imagine if you could…

Feel safe in your body and the world around you.

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Be at ease with the emotional burden tied to past situations or fears regarding what's to come.

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Find a path forward for your life.

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In person therapy in Kirkland, WA

Our Kirkland office is located in the Moss Bay neighborhood of South Kirkland, conveniently accessible from both Highway 520 and I-405. Prefer to meet from home? Virtual trauma therapy is also available throughout Washington State.

faqs

Trauma Therapy FAQs

Trauma therapy is a type of counseling that helps you process and heal from distressing or overwhelming experiences - whether that's a single event or a pattern of painful experiences over time. It can help reduce symptoms like anxiety, flashbacks, and emotional numbness, and help you feel more present, safe, and in control of your life again.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy uses guided eye movements to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories that are "stuck" in an unprocessed state. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to talk through every detail of what happened - it works with how your brain naturally processes information, which often makes it a faster and less re-traumatizing path to healing.
If an experience (big or small, recent or long past) is still affecting how you feel, think, or show up in your life today, it's worth addressing in therapy. You don't need a specific diagnosis or a dramatic story to benefit from trauma therapy. Many of the people I work with weren't sure their experiences "qualified" as trauma either, and healing was still possible for them.
It depends on your history and goals. Some people notice a shift in a few sessions, especially with EMDR, which is designed to work more efficiently than traditional talk therapy. Others benefit from longer-term work, particularly with complex or repeated trauma. We'll talk through what to expect for your specific situation during your free consultation.
Both! I offer in-person trauma therapy at my Kirkland, WA office (Moss Bay neighborhood) and virtual trauma therapy throughout Washington State, so you can choose whichever fits your life best.
I specialize in working with women and BIPOC professionals who are navigating painful past experiences and want support processing big emotions tied to their history - so they can be fully present in their lives today.