Treating Trauma
The Center for Youth Mental Health provides evidence-based trauma treatment for children, teens, and young adults. Our clinicians use Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy. Treatment is selected according to each young person’s age, experiences, symptoms, safety needs, and readiness to work through difficult memories and emotions.
Here’s how it works:
Understand Trauma and Build Safety
Trauma can affect thoughts, feelings, behaviors, relationships, and the body. The first step is understanding how the young person has been affected and creating a sense of emotional and physical safety. The clinician identifies symptoms, trauma reminders, strengths, coping patterns, and available support while helping the young person understand that their reactions are understandable responses to overwhelming experiences.
Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Trauma-Informed CBT helps young people understand the connection between difficult experiences, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. They learn practical coping skills and begin identifying beliefs that may increase fear, guilt, shame, or avoidance. Here are a few examples:
Self-Blame
“What happened was my fault.”
A More Balanced Response:
“I was not responsible for another person’s actions or the event that occurred.”
Expecting Ongoing Danger
“Something terrible will happen again.”
A More Balanced Response:
“My mind is warning me about danger, but I can check whether I am safe now.”
Difficulty Trusting Others
“I cannot trust anyone anymore.”
A More Balanced Response:
“Some people may be unsafe, but I can learn to recognize and choose trustworthy support.”
Feeling Powerless
“I have no control over anything.”
A More Balanced Response:
“I cannot change what happened, but I can make choices about my safety and recovery.”
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy helps young people examine how trauma has affected what they believe about themselves, other people, and the world. The clinician helps identify “stuck points,” such as self-blame or beliefs that nowhere is safe, and teaches structured strategies for evaluating these thoughts and developing more accurate, flexible perspectives.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Prolonged Exposure Therapy helps young people gradually approach safe memories, feelings, places, and situations they have avoided because of trauma. With careful clinical support, they practice discussing the experience and returning to safe activities in manageable steps. The goal is not to erase the memory, but to reduce avoidance, lessen trauma-related distress, and help the young person regain confidence and control in everyday life.
Here are some key trauma-treatment skills your child will learn:
Safety and Stabilization
Recognizing current safety, identifying support, and developing strategies for managing distress during difficult moments.
Emotional Regulation
Learning practical ways to recognize, tolerate, and manage fear, sadness, anger, guilt, and physical stress reactions.
Cognitive Restructuring
Identifying trauma-related beliefs and developing more accurate perspectives about responsibility, safety, trust, and control.
Gradual Exposure
Approaching safe memories, reminders, and situations gradually to reduce avoidance and rebuild confidence over time.
Caregiver Support
Helping parents understand trauma reactions, strengthen communication, support coping skills, and encourage recovery without pressure.
How Can We Help?
If you have questions or would like to make an appointment, please complete this form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also call our SLO Center at (805) 996-0535 or our Santa Cruz Center at (831) 222-0052.
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