What we treat
Trauma & PTSD Counseling in Spokane Valley, WA — EMDR & TF-CBT
Child, Marriage & Family Counseling provides trauma and PTSD counseling in Spokane Valley, WA for children, teens, and adults, using trauma-focused approaches including EMDR, TF-CBT, and play-based trauma work.
Trauma is what happens inside
Two children can go through the same event and carry it completely differently. Trauma isn’t the event itself — it’s what the nervous system did with it. When that response gets stuck, it shows up as nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance, regression, rage, numbness, or a body that behaves like the danger never ended.
What trauma treatment looks like here
- EMDR — structured reprocessing of stuck memories, for teens and adults
- TF-CBT — the gold-standard trauma treatment for children and adolescents, with caregivers actively involved
- Play & sand tray trauma work — for young children, processing at the safe distance the playroom provides
- Family work — helping the household become part of the healing rather than a bystander to it
Experiences we commonly treat
- Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
- Domestic violence exposure
- Accidents and medical trauma
- Loss of a parent or loved one
- Foster care and adoption-related trauma
- PTSD in teens and adults
Getting started
Trauma work moves at the pace of safety — no one is pushed to talk before they’re ready. Meet our counselors or contact us to ask who’s the right fit.
Common questions
- What is EMDR?
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based trauma therapy that helps the brain reprocess stuck traumatic memories using structured sets of bilateral stimulation, so the memory loses its present-tense charge. It's recognized as a first-line PTSD treatment by major clinical guidelines.
- What is TF-CBT?
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a structured, evidence-based treatment designed for children and teens who've experienced trauma, combining coping-skill building, gradual processing of the trauma story, and active caregiver involvement.
- My child went through something but seems fine. Should we still come in?
- A single evaluation is a reasonable step after a significant event. Children often show delayed responses — through behavior, sleep, regression, or play themes — and early support is lighter-touch than later repair. A counselor can help you distinguish healthy processing from stuck trauma.