--- title: "Trauma & PTSD Therapy | Growth & Guidance Counseling" description: "Trauma-informed therapy in IL, GA & FL. Somatic, narrative, and cognitive approaches for PTSD, complex trauma, abuse survivors, and the LGBTQIA+ community." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Growth & Guidance Counseling", "alternateName": "Growth & Guidance Counseling, LLC", "url": "https://growthguidancecounselingservices.com/" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "name": "Trauma & PTSD Therapy | Growth & Guidance Counseling", "description": "Trauma-informed therapy in IL, GA & FL. Somatic, narrative, and cognitive approaches for PTSD, complex trauma, abuse survivors, and the LGBTQIA+ community.", "url": "https://growthguidancecounselingservices.com/specialties/trauma-ptsd-therapy/", "@id": "https://growthguidancecounselingservices.com/specialties/trauma-ptsd-therapy/", "about": { "@type": "MedicalCondition", "name": "Trauma & PTSD Therapy" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://growthguidancecounselingservices.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Specialties", "item": "https://growthguidancecounselingservices.com/specialties/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Trauma & PTSD Therapy", "item": "https://growthguidancecounselingservices.com/specialties/trauma-ptsd-therapy/" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I have to talk about what happened?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not until you decide to, and not in the way people fear from movies. Trauma work here starts with safety — knowing your therapist, knowing what happens if a feeling gets big, knowing you can pause. Some clients tell the story eventually; some never say it out loud and still heal." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's the difference between trauma-informed and trauma-focused?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Every clinician here is trauma-informed — meaning how we ask, listen, and pace is shaped by what trauma does to a nervous system. Trauma-focused work is more targeted (using somatic, narrative, and cognitive tools to process specific events). We can do either, or move between the two." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "I don't have 'big-T' trauma. Does this still apply?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Chronic invalidation, medical trauma, systemic racism, family scapegoating, and being unsafe in your own body over time all live under this umbrella. If it changed how you show up in the world, it's worth naming." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is this safe for LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent clients?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It is. One of our licensed counselors, Symone Latham-Dior, explicitly advocates for victims of abuse and sexual assault, the LGBTQIA+ community, and people across the neurodivergent spectrum. Ask for a fit conversation and we'll match accordingly." } } ] } ] --- [Skip to content](#main) [(888) 464-6177](tel:+18884646177) - [](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063627036414 "Facebook") - [](https://www.instagram.com/growthguidancecounseling/ "Instagram") - [](https://www.twitter.com/growthguidance "X (Twitter)") - [](https://www.tiktok.com/@growthandguidance "TikTok") - [](https://www.youtube.com/@GrowthguidancecounselingTV "YouTube") [![Growth & Guidance Counseling](/__l5e/assets-v1/a7f9bddf-11a8-4d71-acf1-d0ff012f22e2/gg-logo.webp)](/) [About](/about-us) [About Us](/about-us)[Mission & Vision](/mission-vision)[The Collective](/our-team)[Reviews](/reviews)[Join Our Team](/join-our-team)[FAQs](/frequently-asked-questions)[Contact](/contact-us) [Services](/our-services) [Individual Counseling](/service/individual-counseling)[Behavioral Health / Coaching](/service/behavioral-health)[Couples Counseling](/service/couple-counseling)[Family Counseling](/service/family-counseling)[Group Counseling](/service/group-counseling)[Telehealth / Online Counseling](/service/telehealth-online-counseling)[Life Coaching](/service/life-coaching) [All services →](/our-services) [Specialties](/specialties) [Anxiety Therapy](/specialties/anxiety-therapy)[Depression Therapy](/specialties/depression-therapy)[Trauma & PTSD](/specialties/trauma-ptsd-therapy)[Grief & Loss](/specialties/grief-loss-counseling)[Teens & Adolescents](/specialties/teen-adolescent-therapy)[Women's Mental Health](/specialties/womens-mental-health)[Spanish-Speaking Therapy](/specialties/spanish-speaking-therapy)[Child Therapy](/specialties/child-therapy) [View all specialties →](/specialties) [Locations](/illinois-location) [Illinois — Oak Lawn](/illinois-location)[Georgia — Marietta](/georgia-location)[Florida — Telehealth](/florida-location) [Rates & Insurance](/rates)[Blog](/blog) [CLIENT PORTAL](https://www.therapyportal.com/p/growthguidance1/login/)[Book a Consult](/book) Specialty · Trauma & PTSD # Trauma therapy at the pace of your nervous system You are not too much. You are not broken. What happened to you shaped how your body learned to stay safe — and there is real, non-dramatic work we can do together to help it feel safer now. In person in Oak Lawn, IL & Marietta, GA · Telehealth across Illinois, Georgia & Florida [Book a free 10-min consult](https://calendly.com/growthguidancecounseling/free-consultation)[See the service](/service/individual-counseling) ![A sheltered reading nook with a soft blanket and lamp](/assets/trauma-CtjvqkXm.webp) Trauma-informed care is the baseline across our whole team, not a specialty of one person. That means every clinician here has been trained to notice what a raised voice, a specific question, or a sudden change in the room can do to a system that's had to be vigilant. For the specific work of processing trauma and PTSD, we draw from several evidence-informed traditions and let you help decide which door to walk through. Some clients want somatic tools first because their body is the loudest thing in the room. Others need narrative and cognitive work — putting language to what got stored without words. We meet both. ## How we help - Trauma-informed intake and pacing — you set the speed - Somatic tools drawn from Symone Latham-Dior's Somatic and Person-Centered training - Narrative therapy to re-author the story around what happened - CBT for the intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, and 'my fault' scripts - Grounding and DBT-style distress tolerance for flashbacks and dissociation - Culturally grounded care for survivors of abuse, sexual assault, and systemic harm What working together looks like ## A calm, human first step 1. 1 ### Book a free 10-min consult Tell us what's bringing you in — no pressure, no clinical detail required. 2. 2 ### Match with the right therapist We'll pair you with a clinician whose training fits what you need. 3. 3 ### Start where you are Warm first session at your pace. You choose what to share. 4. 4 ### Grow — in person or online Ongoing support across Illinois, Georgia, and Florida. "For the first time I felt like someone was actually listening — not fixing me, just walking with me." — Growth & Guidance client ## Who our trauma work is often for - Adults processing childhood trauma or neglect - Survivors of intimate partner violence or sexual assault - First responders, medical, and community workers with cumulative exposure - Adolescents and teens navigating trauma alongside identity and school - Clients whose PTSD symptoms have started to affect sleep, relationships, or work ## Who on our team works with this - ![Symone Latham-Dior](/__l5e/assets-v1/d19f189e-4138-440f-a9c3-6f120277388d/symone.webp) [Symone Latham-Dior, MA, LPC](/team-member/symone-latham-dior) Licensed Professional Counselor LPC with Somatic, Person-Centered, Narrative, CBT, and Trauma-Informed training. Advocates for abuse and sexual assault survivors and the LGBTQIA+ community. - ![Serafin Guerrero](/__l5e/assets-v1/336df4ef-13ad-4ee9-9b99-6aefdd8485c7/serafin.webp) [Serafin Guerrero, MSW, LSW](/team-member/serafin-guerrero) Counseling Therapist Bilingual therapist whose specialties include trauma, self-harming, and suicidality. - ![Sybria Davis](/__l5e/assets-v1/d689e0f4-6de4-488d-853f-8a11e440d635/sybria.webp) [Sybria Davis, MSW, LSW](/team-member/sybria-davis) Licensed Social Work - Therapist Trauma-informed care with CBT, narrative, and strengths-based approaches. - ![Yerre’Elle Patton](/__l5e/assets-v1/70410b57-b02d-4f38-9fc0-e2c8e4f9000d/yerreelle.webp) [Yerre’Elle Patton, MSW, LCSW](/team-member/yerreelle-patton) Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Therapist LCSW whose services include Trauma and PTSD, anxiety and stress, and mood disorders. ## Common questions - ### Do I have to talk about what happened? Not until you decide to, and not in the way people fear from movies. Trauma work here starts with safety — knowing your therapist, knowing what happens if a feeling gets big, knowing you can pause. Some clients tell the story eventually; some never say it out loud and still heal. - ### What's the difference between trauma-informed and trauma-focused? Every clinician here is trauma-informed — meaning how we ask, listen, and pace is shaped by what trauma does to a nervous system. Trauma-focused work is more targeted (using somatic, narrative, and cognitive tools to process specific events). We can do either, or move between the two. - ### I don't have 'big-T' trauma. Does this still apply? Yes. Chronic invalidation, medical trauma, systemic racism, family scapegoating, and being unsafe in your own body over time all live under this umbrella. If it changed how you show up in the world, it's worth naming. - ### Is this safe for LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent clients? It is. One of our licensed counselors, Symone Latham-Dior, explicitly advocates for victims of abuse and sexual assault, the LGBTQIA+ community, and people across the neurodivergent spectrum. Ask for a fit conversation and we'll match accordingly. ## Keep exploring [ Service Individual Counseling ](/service/individual-counseling)[ Specialty Anxiety Therapy When the alarm system won't turn off after the danger passed. ](/specialties/anxiety-therapy)[ Specialty Grief & Loss Counseling When loss and trauma are braided together. ](/specialties/grief-loss-counseling) Not sure where to start? A 10-minute call is a low-pressure way to find the right fit. [Book a free 10-min consult](https://calendly.com/growthguidancecounseling/free-consultation)[Send a message](/contact-us) This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical or mental-health advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. ![Growth & Guidance Counseling logo](/__l5e/assets-v1/35271702-3c7d-4122-a155-f087812270e6/gg-logo-white.webp) Start Your Healing Journey With Us Counseling · Consulting · Community. A Black-owned group therapy practice serving Georgia, Illinois, and Florida — in person and via telehealth. Licensed clinical team serving Illinois, Georgia & Florida [Client Portal](https://www.therapyportal.com/p/growthguidance1/login/) - [](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063627036414 "Facebook") - [](https://www.instagram.com/growthguidancecounseling/ "Instagram") - [](https://www.twitter.com/growthguidance "X (Twitter)") - [](https://www.tiktok.com/@growthandguidance "TikTok") - [](https://www.youtube.com/@GrowthguidancecounselingTV "YouTube") Contact - Georgia Office [770-527-1913](tel:+17705271913) - Illinois Office [312-678-1822](tel:+13126781822) - Main / Florida [888-464-6177](tel:+18884646177) - [support@growthguidancecounseling.com](mailto:support@growthguidancecounseling.com) - [Illinois](/illinois-location)5569 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn, IL 60453 - [Georgia](/georgia-location)2551 Roswell Rd., Suite 410, Marietta, Georgia 30062 Quick links - [Services](/our-services) - [Specialties](/specialties) - [Locations](/illinois-location) - [Rates & Insurance](/rates) - [Reviews](/reviews) - [Shop](/shop-events) - [Blog](/blog) - [FAQs](/frequently-asked-questions) - [Contact](/contact-us) - [Book](/book) Opening Hours - Monday – Thursday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM - Friday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM - Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM - Sunday Closed In Crisis In crisis? Call or text [988](tel:988) (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call [911](tel:911). Using this site or the contact form does not create a therapist–client relationship. This is not a secure channel — please don't share confidential health details here. Use the secure client portal for anything clinical. Individual results vary; outcomes are not guaranteed. Services are provided only where our clinicians are licensed — Georgia, Illinois, and Florida (GA, IL, FL). © 2026 Growth and Guidance LLC [Client Portal](https://www.therapyportal.com/p/growthguidance1/login/)· [Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy)· Website by [Automaus.ai](https://automaus.ai)