Complex & developmental trauma
Childhood, relational, or repeated wounds that shaped you early.
Carlsbad, Encinitas, Vista & Online
Trauma & PTSD Therapy
You do not have to keep carrying it alone. Our psychologists provide trauma therapy and PTSD treatment for people whose past, whether a single frightening event or years of accumulated harm, is still shaping their present. In person in Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Vista, or online throughout California.
Serving North County San Diego since 2018 · 4.9 stars from 90+ reviews · Doctoral-level psychologists
Understanding trauma and PTSD
What is trauma?
Trauma is the lasting imprint a frightening, painful, or overwhelming experience leaves on your nervous system, your emotions, and your sense of self. It is not defined by the event itself but by how it continues to echo afterward: in a body that stays braced, in relationships that feel impossibly fraught, or in a quiet sense that you are somehow irrevocably changed. Trauma can come from a single shattering event or from years of relational neglect that accumulate slowly, wound by wound.
What is PTSD?
PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, is a specific set of symptoms that can develop after a frightening or life-threatening event. You may struggle with intrusive memories or flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, or an urge to avoid anything that recalls what happened. You might feel jumpy, emotionally distant, or locked in patterns of self-blame. These are understandable responses to an overwhelming experience, not signs of personal failure.
Trauma vs. PTSD: what's the difference?
Trauma is the broader experience of how a painful event shapes you; PTSD is one clinical diagnosis that can develop from trauma, with a defined cluster of symptoms like flashbacks and avoidance. You can be deeply affected by trauma, and benefit from trauma therapy, without ever meeting the full criteria for a PTSD diagnosis.
What we treat
Types of trauma we treat.
Trauma shows up differently for everyone. Here are some of the ways it brings people through our doors.
Post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
Intrusive memories, hypervigilance, and avoidance after a frightening event.
Sexual trauma
Care after assault, abuse, or violations of your boundaries, at a pace you set.
Religious trauma
Harm from high-control or shaming faith environments. Read about religious trauma.
Dissociation
Feeling detached, numb, or not quite present in your own life.
Traumatic grief & loss
When loss and trauma overlap. See grief therapy.
Trauma & anxiety
A nervous system stuck on high alert. See anxiety therapy.
Generational trauma
Patterns of pain passed down through a family.
How we work with trauma
Safety and trust, first.
Opening up about trauma takes real courage, especially when vulnerability has not been met with kindness in the past. That is why the first task of trauma therapy is building an atmosphere of safety: your pain witnessed without judgment, your defenses honored as the adaptive strategies they are, and nothing forced before you are ready. We never rush you into the details.
Each person's story is different, so we do not impose a rigid formula. Our doctoral-level clinicians work with you individually, drawing on relational and psychodynamic depth work and somatic approaches, matched to what you need rather than a one-size script. For clients who want EMDR therapy specifically, see our EMDR therapy page.
Alongside that, we help you build emotional regulation and self-compassion, so sadness, anger, and fear become feelings you can experience rather than forces that overwhelm you. Over time, the goal is reclaiming your sense of self: your agency, your capacity for pleasure, and your sense of being worthy of love and care.
Meet the team
Your trauma therapists.
Not sure who's the right fit? Our care coordinator can match you with the right clinician based on your needs, schedule, and goals. Every clinician here is a licensed psychologist, with real experience helping clients work through trauma and PTSD.
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
- Maya Angelou
Healing is possible
Will I always feel this way?
Many people who have lived through trauma ask themselves that question. When symptoms persist for years, healing can feel out of reach. But time alone does not resolve trauma: what fosters change is the ability to make sense of what happened in the presence of another, to be met with understanding instead of isolation. Therapy does not erase the past, but it can transform your relationship to it. Over time, trauma becomes something you have endured rather than something that defines you.
Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness; it is an act of courage. If you are ready to explore what healing could look like, we invite you to take the first step. Together, we can work toward a life that feels safe, connected, and genuinely yours.
Book a free consultation →Questions
Common questions about trauma and PTSD
What is trauma?
Trauma is the lasting impact a frightening, painful, or overwhelming experience leaves on your nervous system, your emotions, and your sense of self. It is not defined by the event itself but by how it continues to show up afterward, in your body, your relationships, and how safe the world feels. Trauma can come from a single incident or from years of relational or developmental harm.
What is PTSD?
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a specific set of symptoms that can develop after a frightening or life-threatening event. Common signs include intrusive memories or flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance of reminders, and a nervous system that stays on high alert long after the danger has passed. Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD.
What's the difference between trauma and PTSD?
Trauma is the broader experience of how a painful event shapes you. PTSD is one clinical diagnosis that can result from trauma, with a specific cluster of symptoms like flashbacks and avoidance. You can be deeply affected by trauma without meeting the criteria for PTSD, and you do not need a diagnosis to benefit from trauma therapy.
What are the signs of unresolved trauma?
Unresolved trauma often shows up as a nervous system stuck on high alert: jumpiness, trouble sleeping, or a sense of dread that will not lift. It can also look like numbness, difficulty trusting people, relationship patterns that keep repeating, or a persistent feeling of being somehow damaged. These are understandable responses, not signs of failure.
Can trauma be healed?
Yes. Trauma does not have to define you forever. With time, safety, and the right support, people move from feeling controlled by what happened to relating to it as something they endured rather than something that defines them. Healing does not mean forgetting; it means the past loosens its grip on the present.
Do I have to talk about the details of what happened?
No. You do not have to relive every detail to heal, and we never rush you into the hardest material before you are ready. We go at your pace and build safety first. For clients who prefer an approach with less detailed retelling, EMDR therapy can also help reduce distress around a memory without requiring you to narrate it in full.
What does trauma-informed mean?
Trauma-informed means we treat your defenses and coping strategies as adaptive, not as problems to fix. It means we prioritize safety and trust before approaching difficult material, move at your pace, and stay curious about how past experiences shape present reactions instead of judging them.
How much does trauma therapy cost?
Individual sessions run $230 to $300, depending on the clinician. We are a private-pay, out-of-network practice and provide superbills you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Current rates and insurance details are on our cost and insurance page.
Where can I find PTSD treatment in San Diego?
Coastal Therapy Group offers trauma and PTSD treatment across North County San Diego, with offices in Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Vista, plus online therapy throughout California. Every clinician is doctoral-level, and a free 15-minute consultation helps match you with the right fit.
A quick, private self-check
Could the past still be showing up now?
A short, private self-check can help you notice whether trauma may be part of what you are feeling.
Reflective, not diagnostic. Your answers never leave your browser.
Let's get started.
Where we are
Get in-person trauma therapy in Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Vista.
All three offices are in North County San Diego. We see trauma and PTSD clients from across San Diego County in person, and anyone in California through online therapy.
- 2564 State Street, Suite B
Carlsbad, CA 92008 - 169 Saxony Road, Suite 211
Encinitas, CA 92024 - 1800 Thibodo Road, Suite 110
Vista, CA 92081
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