Trauma Therapy Los Angeles

Trauma Taught You to Be Small—Healing Teaches You to Take Up Space

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Trauma therapy Los Angeles

The Coping Skills That Once Kept You Safe Are Now Keeping You Stuck

Relaxing doesn’t actually feel relaxing—it feels uncomfortable.

Certain texts make your stomach drop, certain sounds make your chest tighten, and you replay conversations from three days ago just to make sure you didn’t say the wrong thing.

You knew how to read the room before you knew how to feel safe in it, adjusting yourself to keep things calm, make people happy, or avoid setting someone off. You can be mid-conversation and suddenly feel yourself shift—less you, more who they need you to be.

And even now, when no one is mad, when nothing is actually wrong, your body still won’t let you relax. It’s automatic, like muscle memory.

You don’t want to keep living like this, but the idea of doing things differently? Of not double-checking yourself, not managing every situation?

That feels just as uncomfortable as staying stuck.

Trauma Counseling

Imagine what it would feel like to:

Trust yourself without second-guessing every decision.
Feel at ease in your own body instead of constantly bracing for impact.
Set boundaries without the crushing guilt.
Stop replaying conversations 100 times before bed.
Actually feel safe—mentally, emotionally, physically.

Trauma therapist Los Angeles

Meet Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC

I’m Cheryl Groskopf, a trauma and anxiety therapist in Los Angeles, and I help people untangle the patterns that keep them feeling stuck, exhausted, or disconnected.

My approach is direct, collaborative, and grounded in real change. I integrate attachment work, somatic therapy, and parts work (IFS) to help you not just understand your patterns, but actually shift them in your nervous system.

Healing isn’t about “fixing” yourself—you were never broken.

It’s about unlearning the survival strategies that no longer serve you and creating a life where you feel safe, connected, and in control. Whether you’re dealing with trauma, relationship struggles, or just feeling burned out from constantly over-functioning,

I’m here to help you make sense of it all and start healing in a way that actually lasts.

Trauma therapy los angeles

Your Nervous System Is Exhausted—But It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way

Your body has been stuck in survival mode for so long, it’s hard to imagine anything else.

Even when things are fine, you can’t shake the feeling that something might go wrong. You’re always scanning, adjusting, anticipating—because that’s what kept you safe. But constantly being on high alert isn’t the same as actually being safe.

Your body isn’t working against you. It’s just repeating what it learned: stay small, stay ready, don’t let your guard down. But the truth is, you’re allowed to take up space now.

You’re allowed to rest. You don’t have to live in a constant state of “what if.”

What type of therapy works best for trauma?

Therapy Treatment Modalities I Use to Treat Trauma

Somatic Therapy helps you reconnect with your body and release all the tension and stress that’s been dragging you down. We’ll focus on:

You’re not just a “symptom,” you’re a whole damn person – mind, body, and spirit. Holistic Therapy is about healing from the inside out, so you can live your life fully. Here’s how:

Ever feel like one part of you is screaming “Fuck this, I’m out,” while another part is desperately trying to hold everything together? That’s where IFS Therapy comes in. We’ll get those conflicting parts of you to actually work together. Here’s how:

Somatic Trauma Therapy Los Angeles

Somatic Trauma Therapy: Healing Trauma Stored in the Body

Trauma isn’t just a memory or an emotional wound—it lives in the body.

It’s stored in your nervous system, shaping how you react, connect, and feel safe (or don’t).

Even when the traumatic event is over, your body can stay stuck in survival mode—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—without you even realizing it.

That’s where somatic trauma therapy comes in.

This isn’t just about talking about your trauma. It’s about working with how your body experiences it.

Because the nervous system doesn’t heal through logic alone—it heals through safety, regulation, and connection.

Somatic Trauma Therapy Los Angeles

What Happens in Somatic Trauma Therapy?

Somatic therapy focuses on felt experience rather than just words. Trauma is stored in implicit memory (the kind that’s automatic and nonverbal), so we work with the body directly. This can include:

Tracking body sensations
Noticing where tension, numbness, or activation shows up

Nervous system regulation
Learning how to shift from shutdown or overwhelm into a state of safety

Working with protective parts
Exploring the parts of you that hold trauma and why they do

Trauma Release Therapy Los Angeles

Questions We Explore in Somatic Trauma Therapy

When you feel anxious, shut down, or disconnected,
What happens in your body right before that?

When you try to relax, does your body actually allow it,
or does something resist?

What parts of you still feel like they need to be on guard?
What do they think will happen if they let go?

What Is Trauma? Do I Have Trauma?

Do I Need Therapy?

What Is Trauma?

Trauma can impact every aspect of your life, from your thoughts and emotions to your physical health. It can be caused by a single event, like an accident or loss, or by ongoing stressors, such as childhood neglect or abusive relationships. It could be the anxiety from a childhood where love felt conditional and survival was the name of the game. Or it might be the constant pressure of trying to live up to some impossible standard of success, where no matter what you do, it never feels like enough.

Trauma often leaves you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and disconnected. Trauma isn’t “just in your head.” It’s stored in your body, too

How Trauma Affects Your Life

Trauma can disrupt your daily functioning, making it hard to maintain relationships, focus at work, or even enjoy activities you once loved. Understanding trauma is the first step in your healing journey. Whether you’re in a small town or a city as large as Los Angeles it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one struggling. But please know, you are not alone.

Coping Skills for Trauma in LA

Coping Skills You Will Learn in Therapy

Mindfulness techniques to stay present and aware.
Grounding techniques to manage flashbacks and dissociation.
Emotion regulation strategies to manage and express feelings healthily.
Cognitive restructuring to change negative thought patterns.
Self-compassion practices to be kind to yourself.
Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in relationships.
Building a support system of caring people.

Trauma Therapist Los Angeles

Click here to schedule your free 15- minute consultation for trauma therapy in Los Angeles, CA. My other specialties include treatment for anxiety and improving the quality of relationships by examining your attachment style.

It is time to call and get help. You deserve it.

FAQ About Trauma Therapy in Los Angeles

What Are Common Symptoms Of Trauma?

Some well-known symptoms of trauma include:

Feeling like you’re re- experiencing the event:
This can manifest in nightmares, flashbacks, or sudden emotional or somatic reactions to things that either consciously or subconsciously remind you of the event
Avoiding things that remind you of the event:
This often leads to isolation or withdrawing from activities that you previously found enjoyable.
Hypervigilance:
Sensitive startle responses, constantly feeling on guard or on edge, and hypervigilance to potential threats. This can negatively affect sleep, concentration, and increase irritability.

What Does Trauma Look Like In Adults?

Avoidance of people, places, or situations
Helplessness
Guilt or Shame
Self-Blame
Difficulty Concentrating
Irritability
Fearfulness
Difficulty in relationships
Anxiety
Grieving who you used to be
Loss of self
No sense of purpose
Feeling disconnected, shut down, or not always “there”
Somatic symptoms

What is PTSD?

The DSM-5 defines Post-Traumatic Stress Disoder (PTSD) as “exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.” PTSD can develop from directly experiencing the traumatic event, witnessing it, or learning of an actual or threatened death to a close family member or friend.

To qualify for a PTSD diagnosis, you need to have experienced either intrusive memories about the trauma, dreams, dissociative reactions (like flashbacks), intense distress when exposed to cues that remind you of the traumatic event, or physiological reactions to it. Persistence avoidance, arousal and reactivity associated with the event, + “negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event” must also be present for more than one month.

When we think of PTSD, we often think of things such as military combat, natural disasters, accidents, or personal assaults. However, trauma is more nuanced and complex than just a DSM diagnosis, and far more common than just generalized stereotypes.

What is Complex PTSD? AKA CPTSD

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) develops after experiencing long-term or repeated traumatic events, including childhood abuse or neglect, exposure to violence, or living somewhere that feels unsafe, unstable or unpredictable.

“But I didn’t have anything big or really traumatic happen to me”

I hear this statement so often, and it is SO NECESSARY to acknowledge that C-PTSD can also develop from a combination of “smaller” traumas or adverse life events. These events might include ongoing emotional neglect, being bullied, domestic violence, or even growing up in a chaotic or unstable environment. The impact of these “seemingly less” severe traumas can accumulate over time, leading to the development of C-PTSD symptoms.

Remember, only a trained mental health professional can determine if you have PTSD or CPTSD.

What types of trauma are addressed in Los Angeles trauma therapy sessions?

Trauma therapy can address various forms of trauma, including but not limited to interpersonal trauma, childhood trauma, accidents, natural disasters, and military-related trauma.

How long does trauma therapy typically take in Los Angeles?

The duration of trauma therapy varies based on individual needs and the nature of the trauma. Short-term interventions may span a few weeks, while more complex cases might involve longer-term therapy.

What approaches are used in trauma therapy in Los Angeles?

Therapists may use various evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and somatic techniques. The choice depends on the individual’s needs and preferences.

As a trauma therapist in Los Angeles, I utilize techniques such as somatic therapy, holistic therapy, and internal family systems.

How do I find a qualified trauma therapist in Los Angeles?

Look for licensed therapists with experience in trauma treatment. Check online directories, read reviews, and consider recommendations from healthcare professionals or friends. You can also check out my blog on “How to Find A Trauma Therapist in Los Angeles.”