PTSD Treatment and Trauma Therapy in Pennsylvania & Colorado
“I’ve tried trauma therapy before and it just doesn’t work for me.”
“I’m in therapy, but nothing seems to change.”
“Why does therapy work for everyone else but me? Am I broken?”
These are the questions I hear from the vast majority of people seeking support for trauma during their Intro Call. First and foremost, you are not alone in feeling this way. Second, it is not your fault therapy hasn’t worked yet. And finally, you are not destined to feel stuck forever.
You might be thinking: “This all sounds nice, but how do I actually get better?” That’s where we come in. Many people come to Revive Therapy having tried traditional talk therapy multiple times with little to no change. Why? Because talk therapy alone often isn’t enough to fully heal from trauma.
To truly regain control over your emotions, relationships, and daily life, we need to teach your body how to feel, process, and release the stress it holds. Talk therapy can help you understand your trauma and gain awareness of your patterns—but when you’re triggered after an argument with a partner, the insights from talk therapy often feel like they’ve disappeared. Healing trauma requires engaging both the mind and the body, helping you build lasting resilience and emotional regulation.
What Is Trauma?
Most of us grow up thinking trauma is a single, dramatic event that threatens immediate safety—like a serious car accident. And while those experiences can be traumatic, trauma is often much broader and more nuanced. It shows up in our everyday lives, affecting how we feel, think, and respond to stress.
At its core, trauma is how your brain and body process distressing or overwhelming experiences in a way that impacts your ability to function as you did before. Simply put, trauma happens when your body perceives an experience as threatening, and it continues to react to that perceived threat even after the event is over.
Our brains are wired to adapt to life’s challenges, but trauma can throw a wrench into that process. It can cause your nervous system to send false alarms, triggering stress responses when there is no present danger—like your body pulling the fire alarm when there’s no fire. This is your body’s survival mode, and it can leave you feeling stuck, reactive, or on edge long after the original experience.
Trauma is also non-discriminatory. It doesn’t matter whether you grew up in University City, Center City, West Philadelphia, or anywhere else in Pennsylvania. It doesn’t care about your race, gender, or abilities—it can impact anyone.
Types of Trauma We Commonly See in Philadelphia:
There are different types of trauma including Acute, Chronic, Complex, Intergenerational, and Racial.
Acute Trauma: the impact of a singular event that is perceived as dangerous and/or distressing. This includes but isn’t limited to events such as childbirth, car accidents, sexual assault, physical assault, or the loss of a loved one.
Chronic Trauma: the impact of consistent, prolonged, and/or repeated exposure to distressing events. This includes childhood abuse (physical, sexual, verbal, neglect), bullying, workplace harassment, community violence, domestic violence)
Complex Trauma: the impact of several traumatic events (whether acute or chronic). This could look like a child experiencing neglect at home, bullying at school, and community violence.
As every therapist will tell you, healing involves discomfort. But so is refusing to heal. And over time, refusing to heal is always more painful.
– Resmaa Menakem
How PTSD and Trauma Can Show Up in Daily Life
Trauma can affect every part of your life, often in ways that feel confusing or overwhelming. While experiences vary from person to person, common ways trauma and PTSD can show up include:
Isolation – withdrawing from friends, family, or social activities
Nightmares or sleep disturbances – trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Hypervigilance – being constantly on edge or feeling “unsafe”
Intense anxiety – over seemingly small stressors
Attachment challenges – pushing people away or clinging to them
Persistent feelings of inadequacy – feeling like you’re not enough or powerless
Self-sabotage or impulsivity – making choices that undermine your goals or well-being
Addiction – turning to substances or behaviors to cope
Other mental health conditions – such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, or co-occurring addiction
Difficulty forming meaningful connections – challenges with trust or intimacy
Poor concentration or performance issues – struggling at work, school, or home
Intense mood swings – feeling emotions more intensely than usual
Dissociation – “zoning out” or feeling disconnected from your body or surroundings
Suicidal thoughts or self-harm – feeling unsafe with your own thoughts
Low self-esteem – feeling unworthy or inadequate
Somatic symptoms – physical manifestations of stress like headaches, fatigue, or tension
Flashbacks – re-experiencing traumatic memories
This list isn’t exhaustive—trauma can show up in many ways unique to each person.
“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from their selves.”
— Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score
Trauma’s Impact on your physical health
Trauma doesn't just affect your mental health; it can also have a big impact on your physical well-being. Whether it's a one-time traumatic event or ongoing exposure to traumatic experiences, trauma can have serious consequences for your body. Here are some ways trauma can affect your physical health:
Chronic pain: Trauma can make chronic pain worse or even cause it in the first place. It messes with the way your brain processes pain signals, making you more sensitive and increasing your perception of pain. Conditions like fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and back pain are often linked to trauma.
Heart problems: Trauma can mess with your heart too, raising your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and even heart attacks. When you go through something traumatic, your body's stress response system kicks into high gear, and if it stays activated for a long time, it can mess with your heart.
Stomach troubles: Trauma can wreak havoc on your digestion, leading to problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers, and other gastrointestinal issues. Your brain and gut have a close relationship, and trauma can disrupt that connection, causing digestive problems and ongoing tummy troubles.
Weak immune system: Trauma can mess up your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off infections and leaving you more susceptible to autoimmune disorders. Plus, all that stress from trauma can cause inflammation and throw your immune system out of whack.
Sleep problems: Trauma often messes with your sleep, making it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get restful sleep. This can take a toll on your physical health, leading to fatigue, weakened immune function, trouble thinking clearly, and a higher risk of accidents.
Substance abuse: Sometimes, people who have experienced trauma turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with the emotional pain. But substance abuse can wreak havoc on your body, causing organ damage, a weakened immune system, and a higher risk of overdose.
Hormonal imbalances: Traumatic experiences can throw off your hormones, which can lead to all sorts of problems. You might experience irregular periods, reproductive issues, thyroid disorders, and other hormone-related health concerns.
Remember, not everyone who goes through trauma will experience these specific health problems, and everyone's experience is different. But it's important to recognize that trauma can impact your physical health too. Taking care of both your mental and physical well-being is crucial for recovery.
Let’s take a second and talk about Medical Trauma
Life can change in an instant. One moment you’re healthy, and the next you’re in the emergency room at Penn Presbyterian, Pennsylvania Hospital, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, or Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, facing a serious illness, injury, or urgent medical procedure. The physical impact is only part of it—medical trauma also affects your emotions, your sense of safety, and your trust in the healthcare system.
Feeling Trapped and Overwhelmed
Medical trauma can feel like being on a rollercoaster with no control—fear, uncertainty, and helplessness take over as you navigate a medical crisis. Extended hospital stays, invasive procedures, or chronic illness can leave you feeling isolated, disoriented, and emotionally drained.
The Emotional Impact of Medical Errors and Complications
Mistakes or unexpected complications in care can deepen feelings of betrayal and anxiety. When your health is at stake, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, angry, or fearful—and these feelings can linger long after the event.
Chronic Pain and Long-Term Conditions
Living with chronic pain or long-term medical conditions can create a cycle of hopelessness, anxiety, and stress, affecting your relationships, work, and day-to-day life.
Hope and Healing Are Possible
Even after these experiences, healing is possible. Therapy provides a safe space to process medical trauma, rebuild your sense of safety, and reclaim control over your life. Approaches like somatic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and EMDR can help you work through distressing memories, regulate emotions, and restore resilience. In some cases, medication or self-care practices—like meaningful connections, restorative routines, and activities that bring joy—support recovery.
If you’re struggling with medical trauma in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Montgomery County, or Bucks County, know this: you are not alone, and your strength is greater than you realize.
How Do You Know You’re Ready to Heal from Trauma?
As trauma therapists in Philadelphia, we often say there isn’t a perfect moment when someone feels “ready” to heal. For many, trauma has already started impacting daily life so much that something has to change. For others, they may feel stuck or stagnant and want to move forward by addressing what’s holding them back.
You don’t need to feel 100% confident to begin your healing journey—most people never reach that point. If you’re reading this, you’re ready to start working through some of it. Wanting change is in itself a sign of readiness. Taking this step may feel like a leap of faith, but trauma therapy and PTSD treatment in Philadelphia are worth it.
How Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment Can Help
Healing from trauma is hard work. It’s emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging—but it is possible. To get the most out of therapy, it helps to have some stability in your life, whether that’s in your relationships, work, or daily routines. If stability feels out of reach right now, don’t worry—building stability can become one of the first goals of trauma therapy.
A support system is also invaluable. Even just a few trusted people you can rely on makes a difference. Alongside that, paying attention to daily self-care habits—like quality sleep, nourishing food, and enjoyable movement—helps strengthen your resilience and supports your healing.
PTSD Treatment and Trauma Therapy Is for Everyone
Trauma shows up differently for everyone. At Revive Therapy, we provide inclusive, culturally responsive care, including support for BIPOC individuals and people of color. Everyday stressors, microaggressions, and racial trauma can accumulate over time, contributing to burnout, anxiety, depression, and more. While therapy can’t erase societal injustices, it can help you process the experiences that have held you back, find your voice, and create space for healing.
Your experiences are valid, and your voice deserves to be heard. If you’re ready to begin, Revive Therapy Services in Philadelphia is here to support you with trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, and other evidence-based approaches. Reach out today and take the first step on your healing journey.
“There is no timestamp on trauma. There isn’t a formula that you can insert yourself into to get from horror to healing. Be patient. Take up space. Let your journey be the balm.”
– Dawn Serra
Begin PTSD Treatment and Trauma Therapy in Philadelphia, PA
Trauma can affect all areas of your life, but when it starts holding you back from living fully, it’s time to get support. Whether your trauma comes from a single life-changing event or has been impacting you over many years, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
At Revive Therapy in Pennsylvania, our team of trauma specialists—Hannah, Salima, and Mary—provides a safe, nonjudgmental space to process your experiences and begin healing. Together, we’ll guide you through evidence-based PTSD treatment and trauma therapy, supporting your mind, body, and overall well-being.
Getting started is simple:
Contact Revive Therapy Services to schedule your free consultation.
Meet our trauma therapy team—Hannah, Salima, and Mary—who will work collaboratively with you.
Begin your journey of hope and healing, taking the first steps toward reclaiming your life.
You are not alone—healing is possible, and our team is here to support you every step of the way.
Other Services at Revive Therapy
Seeking therapy support is a courageous and important step—you deserve a safe space to process life events and work toward your goals in a healthy, sustainable way. Whether this is your first time in therapy or you’ve been here before, Revive Therapy in Pennsylvania is here to support you every step of the way.
In addition to eating disorder and body image therapy, we offer a range of services to meet your unique needs:
Somatic Therapy for mind-body healing
Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAP) for treatment-resistant depression and trauma
Additionally, all services are offered in-person or online in Pennsylvania & Colorado. We are 100% ready to take this leap with you to create a better and more fulfilling life!