Trauma Therapist in Lanham & Wheaton, MD

Trauma isn’t defined only by what happened, but by how it stays with you. A car accident, an assault, years in an abusive relationship, community violence, a medical emergency, or a childhood where you never felt safe can all leave lasting marks. Afterward you might startle easily, have nightmares or flashbacks, avoid certain places, feel numb, or snap at the people you love. Some people can’t remember parts of what happened. Others can’t stop remembering.

These reactions aren’t a sign of weakness. They’re your nervous system working overtime to protect you from a threat that’s already over. Trauma and PTSD are among the top specialties at McGuire Therapeutic Services. Our trauma therapists in Prince George’s County work with survivors from Landover, Largo, Hyattsville and New Carrollton at our Lanham office, and with Montgomery County residents at our Wheaton office.

Good trauma therapy starts with safety, not with the worst memory. In early sessions, your therapist focuses on stabilization: understanding your symptoms, building skills to calm your body when it floods, and making sure daily life feels manageable. You stay in control. You can pause, change the subject or say no, and that choice is respected every time. Feeling in charge of the process is itself part of healing.

When you’re ready, therapy may move toward processing what happened. We draw on trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to untangle beliefs like “it was my fault” or “I’m never safe,” along with strength-based, psychodynamic and mindfulness approaches. Art therapy can help when experiences are hard to put into words. The goal isn’t to erase the past. It’s to let it become a memory instead of something you keep reliving.

Many of our trauma clients are survivors of domestic or sexual abuse, sometimes recent and sometimes decades ago. Leaving an abusive relationship is a process, not a single moment, and we won’t judge you for where you are in it. Therapy can help you sort through confusion and self-blame, rebuild trust in your own judgment, and plan for safety. If you live with someone who hurts you, we’ll talk through whether telehealth is safe or whether meeting in person is better.

If you are in danger right now, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available around the clock at 1-800-799-7233, and you can call, text or chat 988 at any hour, free (press 1 for Veterans, 2 for Spanish). Reaching out, whether to a hotline, a friend or a therapist, takes courage, and you deserve support that respects your choices and your timing.

Trauma doesn’t stay neatly in the past. It can make closeness feel risky, so you keep people at a distance or cling tightly out of fear of losing them. It can make conflict feel like danger, even with someone who loves you. Many survivors also carry trauma in the body, through chronic tension, headaches, stomach problems, or a startle response that never fully switches off.

Part of trauma therapy is learning to read these signals as information rather than as proof that something is wrong with you. Grounding and breathing skills help your body come back to the present. Over time, many people find they can tolerate closeness, set boundaries without panic, and rest without bracing for the next blow. When it helps, partners or family members can join a session to understand how trauma has shaped the household.

Your first session won’t ask you to tell your whole story. Your therapist will ask what’s bringing you in, how symptoms are affecting your sleep, work and relationships, and what feels most urgent. You decide how much to share. If nightmares, panic or depression are severe, a psychiatric assessment and medication management are available through our clinic to ease symptoms while therapy does its work.

We accept Maryland Medicaid, Medicare, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna/Evernorth, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Johns Hopkins EHP and others, and we confirm your costs before your first visit. Self-pay is $150 per session, with a sliding scale by application. Sessions are available at our Lanham office on Annapolis Road, our Wheaton office near the Metro, or by secure telehealth. Spanish-speaking clinicians are available; call to be matched.