Des Plaines Trauma Therapy

Are you looking for a trauma therapist in Des Plaines, IL?

Licensed trauma therapy professionals with 13 years of clinical experience in Des Plaines, IL.

If you’re a Des Plaines resident whose past experience continues to disrupt sleep, relationships, emotional regulation, or daily functioning years or even decades later, professional treatment can change that, since trauma doesn’t operate on a timeline. At Lotus Wellness Center, our licensed clinicians provide Des Plaines, IL trauma therapy through both in-person and virtual sessions using evidence-based methods including Brainspotting, somatic experiencing, and Internal Family Systems. Our team has more than 13 years of clinical experience treating trauma, PTSD, complex trauma, and the anxiety and depression that frequently accompany them. Call to schedule a free phone consultation and determine the right treatment approach.

Trauma Therapy in Des Plaines, IL

Trauma is the psychological and physiological response to an event or series of events that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. According to the NIMH research on PTSD, people who develop post-traumatic stress disorder may continue to feel stressed or frightened long after the danger has passed. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness.

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops PTSD. But for those who do, the symptoms do not typically resolve without clinical treatment. At Lotus Wellness Center, trauma therapy in Des Plaines, Illinois is available in person at our Palatine office or through secure virtual sessions. Our therapists hold active Illinois licenses and are trained in trauma-specific modalities.

Trauma Therapy Services We Offer in Des Plaines

Lotus Wellness Center treats a range of trauma-related conditions for Des Plaines residents. Below are the specific areas our therapists address.

• PTSD treatment. Post-traumatic stress disorder develops when the brain’s response to a traumatic event does not resolve naturally. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, emotional numbness, and hypervigilance. Treatment uses structured processing methods to help the brain move past the event. PTSD after accidents is one of the most common presentations we treat.
• Complex trauma. Complex trauma results from repeated or prolonged exposure to harmful conditions, often beginning in childhood. Abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and chronic instability can all produce it. The effects include difficulty regulating emotions, problems with trust, chronic shame, and unstable relationships. Treatment is longer and more layered than single-incident PTSD work.
• Childhood trauma. Adverse experiences in childhood shape the developing brain and nervous system. Adults who experienced abuse, neglect, or household instability as children often present with anxiety, depression, attachment difficulties, and relational patterns they do not fully understand.
• Anxiety related to trauma. Trauma and anxiety frequently co-occur. Hypervigilance, panic responses, avoidance, and generalized worry that developed after a traumatic event require treatment that addresses both the trauma itself and the anxiety symptoms it produced.
• Depression linked to trauma. Traumatic experiences can produce persistent depression, emotional numbness, withdrawal, and loss of interest in activities that previously felt meaningful. Treatment works on both the depressive symptoms and the underlying traumatic material driving them.
• Domestic violence recovery. Survivors of domestic violence carry both the psychological effects of the abuse and the disruption of restructuring their lives. Treatment addresses trauma processing, self-esteem, safety planning, and rebuilding autonomy.
• Grief and traumatic loss. Some losses are traumatic in nature. A sudden death, a violent event, or a loss that was not acknowledged or supported at the time can produce trauma responses that standard grief counseling does not fully address.
• First responder and healthcare worker trauma. Repeated exposure to traumatic situations in professional settings produces a distinct pattern of symptoms. Our clinicians are trained to work with individuals in high-stress roles including first responders, medical professionals, and mental health workers.
• Relationship and attachment trauma. Early relational experiences shape how you attach to others as an adult. When those experiences involved neglect, inconsistency, or harm, the resulting patterns can create persistent difficulties in adult relationships.
• Online trauma therapy. All trauma therapy services listed above are available through secure virtual sessions for Des Plaines residents who prefer to attend from home.

Why Choose Lotus Wellness Center for Trauma Therapy in Des Plaines, Illinois?

Clinicians Certified in Trauma-Specific Treatment Methods

Trauma treatment requires specific clinical training beyond a general counseling license. At Lotus Wellness Center, our trauma therapists hold credentials and certifications in the modalities most supported by clinical research for trauma and PTSD.

Alyssa Raiche-Salek, MA, LCPC, NCC, CHT, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Clinical Hypnotherapist. She specializes in complex trauma, and her training includes Brainspotting, CBT, ACT, DBT, Gottman-informed techniques, and clinical hypnotherapy. Alyssa also works with individuals in high-stress professional roles, including first responders, healthcare workers, and mental health professionals. Her clinical approach is rooted in understanding how past experiences create and maintain present-day difficulties, and she applies goal-oriented methods to address those patterns directly.

Founder Liana Gerdov, Psy.D., LCPC, CHT, is a Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Certified Reiki Master. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) with advanced training in somatic experiencing, Internal Family Systems, Brainspotting, and emotionally focused therapy. She founded Lotus Wellness Center to bring conventional psychotherapy and integrative holistic modalities together. For trauma treatment specifically, this means clients have access to both cognitive processing methods and body-based methods that address trauma stored in the nervous system.

Insurance, Fees, and Session Options

Insurance is verified before your first appointment. You will know your cost before treatment begins.

We accept BlueCross BlueShield PPO, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare/Optum, ComPsych, Tricare, and Medicare. Self-pay individual sessions are $150 for 50 minutes. HSA cards are accepted. A limited sliding scale is available.

Des Plaines residents can attend trauma therapy at our Palatine office or through secure video. Many clients use in-person and virtual sessions interchangeably depending on their weekly needs.

Understanding Trauma Therapy

Therapy Approaches and What They Look Like

Trauma therapy at Lotus Wellness Center uses clinical methods specifically designed for trauma processing. Your therapist selects and adjusts the approach based on the type of trauma, its severity, and how it is currently affecting you.

• Brainspotting identifies specific eye positions that correlate with stored traumatic material in the brain. By maintaining focus on these positions during processing, the brain can release patterns held in the nervous system that talk therapy alone does not reach.
• Somatic experiencing works with the body’s physiological response to trauma. Trauma gets stored physically as tension, bracing, or dysregulation in the nervous system. This modality helps you complete the body’s natural stress response cycle rather than remaining stuck in it.
• Internal Family Systems works with the distinct “parts” of your internal experience. Some parts carry the pain of the event. Others developed protective strategies that may now create problems. IFS helps you heal the wounded parts while updating the protective ones.
• Cognitive processing therapy is a structured protocol that helps you examine and reframe the beliefs that developed as a result of trauma. Many trauma survivors carry distorted beliefs about themselves, others, or the world that continue to drive symptoms.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) uses bilateral stimulation to support the brain in reprocessing traumatic memories. It reduces the emotional intensity of the memory without requiring you to describe the event in detail.

What Can Trauma Therapy Help With?

Trauma affects people differently. Some experience flashbacks and nightmares. Others feel emotionally numb or disconnected. Some develop chronic anxiety or depression without recognizing the traumatic origin.

Common trauma-related concerns treated at Lotus Wellness Center:

• Flashbacks, intrusive memories, or nightmares related to a specific event
• Hypervigilance, exaggerated startle responses, or difficulty feeling safe
• Emotional numbness, detachment, or a sense of being disconnected from your own life
• Difficulty trusting others or maintaining close relationships
• Chronic anxiety or depression that has not responded to previous treatment
• Avoidance of people, places, or situations that are connected to the traumatic experience

What Is the Typical Therapy Process and Timeline?

Trauma therapy follows a phased clinical approach that prioritizes safety and stabilization before deeper processing work begins:

• Before your first session, you complete a brief online intake form covering your history, current symptoms, and treatment goals.
• The first appointment is an assessment. Your therapist evaluates the type and severity of the trauma, its current effects on your daily life, and the treatment approach most likely to be effective.
• The initial phase of treatment focuses on stabilization: building coping skills, establishing a sense of safety in the therapeutic relationship, and addressing any immediate symptoms such as panic, insomnia, or avoidance.
• Once stabilization is established, the processing phase begins. This is where the direct trauma work occurs using modalities such as Brainspotting, EMDR, somatic experiencing, or cognitive processing therapy.
• Some clients complete focused trauma treatment in 12 to 20 sessions. Complex trauma involving multiple events or developmental origins typically requires a longer course of treatment.

What Should You Expect from Your First Session?

During the first appointment, your therapist conducts a clinical evaluation to understand the nature of the trauma, its current effects, and the treatment approach most likely to produce results.

• You arrive at our Palatine office or log in through a secure video link. No software download is needed for virtual sessions.
• Your therapist asks about the traumatic experience or experiences, when they occurred, and how they are currently affecting your functioning. You share only what you are comfortable disclosing in the first session.
• Together you establish treatment goals and your therapist explains the clinical approach they recommend.
• Sessions run approximately 50 minutes. If a virtual connection drops, your therapist reconnects promptly or follows up by phone.
• If the fit does not feel right, you can request a different clinician. The therapeutic relationship is particularly important in trauma work.

What Are Important Illinois Mental Health Resources?

If you are seeking additional information on trauma treatment or need to verify a provider’s credentials, the following resources are available:

• The IDFPR license verification tool allows Illinois residents to confirm any therapist’s active professional license through the state regulatory authority.
• The SAMHSA treatment resources page provides information on mental health conditions including PTSD and trauma, treatment types, and how to access professional support.
• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support at any hour. Call or text 988.

Contact Lotus Wellness Center

Lotus Wellness Center is accepting new trauma therapy clients in Des Plaines, and appointments are typically available within a few days of initial contact. If you are dealing with trauma alongside anxiety, depression, or another condition, our clinicians are trained to address co-occurring concerns within a single treatment plan.

Contact us through the online scheduling form or call our office directly. We verify your insurance, match you with an appropriate clinician, and confirm your first appointment within one business day.