Trauma Therapy Austin, TX

Written by Destany Schadder, LPC, R-DMT, MA

June 2026

Understanding

Trauma that thinking alone can't touch

Trauma isn't about weakness, sensitivity, or being stuck in the past. It's about a nervous system that did exactly what it was designed to do — and then didn't get the signal that it was safe to stop.

When something overwhelming happens, the brain prioritizes survival over processing. Memories get stored incomplete — fragmented, sensory, charged. Later, a smell, a tone of voice, a shadow can retrieve them before your thinking brain even registers what's happening.

This is why trauma responds so well to somatic therapy and EMDR. We're not just telling a different story — we're helping the body complete what it couldn't then.

None of this means something is wrong with you. A big reaction to a big experience isn't dysfunction — it's a nervous system that did exactly what it was built to do. The goal isn't to prove you're not broken. It's to help your body finish what it started.

As a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist and EMDR-trained Licensed Professional Counselor, Destany works with trauma survivors in Austin, TX and via telehealth across Texas and Washington State — bringing a body-centered approach to trauma that talk therapy alone often can't reach.

Your reactions make sense. The goal isn't to override them — it's to update them.

Signs & Symptoms

Signs & Symptoms of Trauma & Emotional Relief

Hypervigilance & scanning for danger

Emotional numbness or shutdown

Triggers that seem to come from nowhere

Difficulty trusting people

Chronic physical tension or pain

Feeling disconnected from your body

This work is for you if

You've tried talking about it but still feel stuck, reactive, or disconnected. Or if you've never talked about it at all — and you're not sure you can. Both are welcome here.

How Destany Works

Therapeutic Approaches for Trauma & Emotional Relief

EMDR Therapy

Destany helps you reprocess traumatic memories so they lose their emotional charge and stop driving current behavior — using EMDR, a structured technique that doesn't require you to narrate the event in detail for it to work.

Somatic Therapy

Destany works with the body's stored trauma responses directly — the bracing, the shutdown, the chronic tension — not just the story, but the sensation, posture, and breath underneath it.

Parts Work

Destany helps you build a different relationship with the protective patterns that once kept you safe but now feel stuck — using Parts Work, a framework for understanding the different "parts" of you that formed around difficult experiences.

Ready to take the first step? The consult is free and there's no obligation.

Book a Free Consult

What to Expect

What to Expect from Trauma & Emotional Relief Therapy

Free 20-Min Consult

We get a sense of what you're carrying and whether this approach fits. There's no obligation.
Stabilisation First

Before processing any difficult material, we build internal resources and safety. This is not skippable.
Processing

Using EMDR and somatic techniques, we work through the memories and patterns that are keeping you stuck.
Integration

The final phase grounds new ways of being into everyday life. Healing happens between sessions too. Early on, that might mean noticing a trigger before it takes over. Later, it can mean an entire week going by where your past didn't dictate your reactions.

Session Details

Session length 50 minutes

Format Telehealth (video)

Location Austin, TX · Texas (telehealth) · Washington State (telehealth)

Fee Private pay — superbill provided

Frequency Weekly recommended for trauma work

“Destany is a great therapist — patient, caring and understanding. I highly recommend her if you are dealing with trauma and anxiety.”
— Deborah H., Texas

Ready to get started? The consult is free and there's no obligation.

Book a Free Consult

Common Questions

Common Questions About Trauma & Emotional Relief Therapy

Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?

No. EMDR and somatic approaches can work without you narrating the experience in full. We follow your pace and your window of tolerance at all times.

What if I don't think my experience 'counts' as trauma?

Trauma is defined by its impact, not by a checklist of events. If something has shaped how you feel safe in the world, it's worth addressing.

Is telehealth safe for trauma work?

Yes, with appropriate care. We spend time at the start ensuring your space is private and that you have what you need. Many clients prefer the control of being in their own environment.

How long does trauma therapy take?

Single-incident trauma with EMDR can shift in 8–12 sessions. Complex or developmental trauma is longer — typically 6–18 months of consistent work.

Do you work with PTSD?

Yes. Both EMDR and somatic therapy are evidence-based approaches for PTSD, recommended by major clinical bodies including the WHO and VA.

What is somatic trauma therapy?

Somatic trauma therapy works with how trauma is stored in the body — the bracing, the shutdown, the hypervigilance — rather than just the narrative of what happened. As a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist and EMDR-trained LPC, Destany uses body-centered techniques that reach what talk therapy alone often cannot.

Do you offer trauma therapy in Austin, TX and Washington State?

Yes. Limited in-person trauma therapy appointments are available in Austin, TX, and telehealth sessions are available across Texas and Washington State. Destany holds an LPC license in Texas and an LMHC license in Washington.

Trauma that thinking alone can't touch

Signs & Symptoms of Trauma & Emotional Relief

Therapeutic Approaches for Trauma & Emotional Relief

What to Expect from Trauma & Emotional Relief Therapy

Free 20-Min Consult

Stabilisation First

Processing

Integration

Common Questions About Trauma & Emotional Relief Therapy

Related services.

EMDR Therapy

Anxiety & Overthinking

Somatic Therapy