Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a trauma can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 76 therapists in Virginia available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Trauma therapy

What is trauma therapy?

Trauma therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on treating the psychological impact of traumatic events on individuals. Trauma therapy helps people process and heal from their trauma by guiding them through their trauma in a compassionate and supportive way, allowing clients to feel the full scope of what happened to them and eventually move on from the event(s). This process helps people who have experienced trauma find ways to feel safe in their lives.

How does trauma therapy work?

Trauma therapy will often require individuals to walk through their experiences in a controlled and compassionate setting (unless the client has a dissociative disorder) so that they can fully process the event, an activity that will allow them to move on from what happened and feel safe again. Thriveworks McLean therapists will also help clients learn healthy coping mechanisms to deal with their symptoms outside of therapy.

Is trauma therapy conducted in person or online?

Thriveworks trauma counseling in McLean, VA is conducted both in person and online through online therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does trauma therapy last?

If an individual is working through a single event that occurred during adulthood, they may only need a few months of treatment. However, in instances of childhood trauma or repeated traumatic events, therapy may continue over the course of years. Trauma therapy usually ends when the client believes they have met their therapeutic goals, however long that takes to occur. Thriveworks therapists in McLean, VA will continue to provide care for as long as necessary to help clients meet their therapeutic needs.

Need more help deciding?

A traumatic event is one that causes an individual significant distress. Victims of trauma often go on to develop harmful physical, mental, and emotional symptoms, from difficulty sleeping and concentrating to social isolation and feelings of hopelessness. Many different events can be considered traumatic, including physical abuse as well as mental or emotional abuse, natural disasters, and the death of a loved one. The one thing that these events have in common is that they have a lasting impact on the individual.

“If someone has hurt you, take some time to try to understand them—their childhood, their traumas, their mood. Don’t do this to simply find excuses for them. Do it to help you heal—to de-personalize the pain. When you seek compassion for the, you wind up having more compassion for yourself too.” –Karen Salmansohn

Victims of trauma can struggle to return to life as they know it. Fortunately, they can find the help that they need in trauma therapy at Thriveworks McLean. We have trauma therapists who specialize in helping people just like you to heal from the traumatic events in their life. These experts can walk you through your trauma, help you to improve symptoms of PTSD, and feel happy and excited about life again. The trauma therapists and psychologists at Thriveworks McLean will use their many skills, tools, and years of experience to provide you with the help and support you need. Give us a call at (571) 589-4042 when you are ready to schedule a trauma therapy appointment. We’re happy to get started when you are.

What Does Trauma Therapy Look like? Can It Help Me?

People who have experienced trauma can develop insomnia, terrifying flashbacks, loneliness, and plenty of other unpleasant symptoms. These symptoms, and the traumatic experience itself, can make one feel completely hopeless and uninterested in their life. The good news is that therapy has proven to help victims of trauma and those with PTSD. Here are a few main goals in trauma and PTSD therapy:

  • Improve and manage symptoms
  • Learn new coping skills
  • Feel excited about the future again

Treatment for trauma and PTSD is rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy. This approach to therapy helps the individual to change harmful thought patterns. Additionally, it provides a safe space for the trauma victim to talk openly about their experience and in turn process all of their emotions. Here’s a look at a few different therapeutic techniques that could help you post-trauma:

  1. Prolonged exposure: If you’ve been actively avoiding the things that remind you of your trauma, prolonged exposure will help you to come face to face with them. Your therapist will first teach you breathing techniques that help with anxiety. Then, they’ll walk with you through the things you’ve been avoiding.
  2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: In EMDR, instead of talking about your traumatic experience, you recall your trauma in your mind while focusing on something they’re doing: flashing a light or playing a sound. The goal is for you to think about something positive when you are reminded of the traumatic experience.

Your Thriveworks McLean trauma therapist will first get to know you and then determine which approach to treatment might work best. If you think that you could benefit from working with one of our trauma therapists, reach out to schedule your appointment.

Schedule Trauma or PTSD Therapy at Thriveworks McLean

Trauma, be it an experience with physical or emotional abuse, bullying, military combat, a natural disaster, or something else entirely, is extremely difficult to deal with. It changes the course of our life as we try to manage its effects: nightmares, flashbacks, low self-esteem. Fortunately, nobody has to go through this alone. If you have experienced a traumatic event, reach out to Thriveworks McLean to meet with a trauma therapist.

Our trauma therapists and psychologists have the skills, the tools, and the experience to help you continue on with your life post-trauma. They can help you process the event, manage your symptoms, and feel excited about life again! If you are ready to schedule your appointment, give Thriveworks McLean a call at (571) 589-4042. Our trauma therapists are here to help you heal.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Virginia therapists and counselors accept 33 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia Medicare Advantage

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | Exchange

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield DC | BCBS PPO

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

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Self-pay costs at McLean
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
My therapist is great. They aren't pushy and just ask questions that get me thinking. I feel like I am getting a little guidance to help me find my own path rather than being lead in a predetermined direction.
Read more My therapist is great. They aren't pushy and just ask questions that get me thinking. I feel like I am getting a little guidance to help me find my own path rather than being lead in a predetermined direction.
Benjamin Jan 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Anna is incredibly respectful, professional, and compassionate. She has a strong dedication to operational and clinical excellence. Anna has proven successful outcomes for clients that she has treated. Anna is extremely knowledgeable with numerous clinics interventions and modalities. Her drive to help others is unmatched, and I believe she would make an excellent addition to the thrive works community.
Read more Anna is incredibly respectful, professional, and compassionate. She has a strong dedication to operational and clinical excellence. Anna has proven successful outcomes for clients that she has treated. Anna is extremely knowledgeable with numerous clinics interventions and modalities. Her drive to help others is unmatched, and I believe she would make an excellent addition to the thrive works community.
McLean Jan 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Anna is wonderful! She brings her kindness, humor and tons of experience to her counseling relationships, and yet in her kind way she also knows when to call it how she sees it in a way that does not make you feel judged and makes you feel understood. Highly recommend.
Read more Anna is wonderful! She brings her kindness, humor and tons of experience to her counseling relationships, and yet in her kind way she also knows when to call it how she sees it in a way that does not make you feel judged and makes you feel understood. Highly recommend.
McLean Jan 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
As a colleague, I cannot recommend Anna enough to anyone looking for a therapist. I have worked with Anna for years and trust her completely. Anna is warm, welcoming, and professional. She also has a multitude of experience working with diverse populations and is eclectic in her approach, getting to know her clients and utilizing tools and skills that she know will work best for their situation.
Read more As a colleague, I cannot recommend Anna enough to anyone looking for a therapist. I have worked with Anna for years and trust her completely. Anna is warm, welcoming, and professional. She also has a multitude of experience working with diverse populations and is eclectic in her approach, getting to know her clients and utilizing tools and skills that she know will work best for their situation.
McLean Jan 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Are you looking for an excellent therapist? I cannot recommend Anna Sihon enough. She's open, patient, non-judgemental, has a great sense of humor, and is extremely culturally competent (especially with the Latinx community).
Read more Are you looking for an excellent therapist? I cannot recommend Anna Sihon enough. She's open, patient, non-judgemental, has a great sense of humor, and is extremely culturally competent (especially with the Latinx community).
McLean Dec 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I have worked with Dr. Jonies Thomas over the years in a professional capacity, and have only good things about her. She has an engaging and patient interpersonal style that resonated with our patients. She brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to any interaction, and it is clear that she is passionate about what she does.
Read more I have worked with Dr. Jonies Thomas over the years in a professional capacity, and have only good things about her. She has an engaging and patient interpersonal style that resonated with our patients. She brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to any interaction, and it is clear that she is passionate about what she does.
McLean Jul 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry McLean is located off of Dolley Madison Blvd., at the intersection of Old Chain Bridge Rd and Fleetwood Rd., in Suite 3D-2. We share a building with two real estate agents from Long and Foster Real Estate.

Phone number

(571) 200-5518

Languages spoken by VA providers

  • English
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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