San Diego · Telehealth across California · Ages 5 and up
Childhood Trauma & Stress Therapy
Helping Children Feel Safe Again After Difficult Experiences
When a child has been through something frightening or painful, they may not have the words for it, but you can often feel that something has shifted. We offer gentle, trauma-informed care that helps children feel safe, settled, and more like themselves.
After something hard, children often show us before they can tell us.
Children process difficult experiences differently than adults. A child may not sit down and explain what is wrong. Instead, you might notice changes in their sleep, their mood, their behavior, or their body. Understanding that these changes can be a response to stress, rather than defiance or a phase, is often the first step toward helping them feel safe again.
When trauma-informed care can help
Hard experiences come in many forms
Trauma is not about how big an event looks from the outside. It is about how overwhelming it felt to the child. Families reach out to us after experiences such as:
- A frightening or overwhelming event
- A serious accident or injury
- A difficult medical or hospital experience
- The loss of someone important
- Exposure to violence or conflict at home
- Violence in the community
- Abuse or a harmful experience
- A sudden or scary change
- Separation from a caregiver
- Ongoing, chronic stress
What it can look like
How stress and trauma may show up in a child
Children rarely say "I feel unsafe." More often, the distress shows up in ways that are easy to misread. You might notice:
Going backward
Returning to younger behaviors like bedwetting, baby talk, or needing more help than before.
Sleep changes
Nightmares, trouble falling asleep, or not wanting to sleep alone.
Anger & outbursts
Bigger reactions than the moment calls for, or a much shorter fuse.
Worry & fear
New fears, feeling on edge, or being easily startled.
Withdrawal
Pulling away from family or friends, going quiet, or seeming far away.
Clinginess
Not wanting you out of sight, distress at separations that were fine before.
Physical complaints
Stomachaches, headaches, or feeling unwell with no clear medical cause.
Trouble focusing
Difficulty concentrating at school or seeming easily overwhelmed.
How we help
Safety first, at your child's pace
Trauma-informed care means we never rush a child. The work begins with safety and trust, and moves only as fast as your child is ready for.
Safety & trust
Before anything else, we help your child feel safe in the room and in their body. Nothing is forced.
The body
Difficult experiences live in the nervous system. We use grounding and calming work to help a keyed-up body settle.
Expression
Through play, art, and story, children can process what happened without having to find the exact words.
Connection
We strengthen the relationships around your child, because feeling safe with the people they love is central to recovery.
Depending on your child's age and readiness, care may include play, art, and sand tray work, calming and nervous-system regulation, and, when appropriate, child-adapted approaches such as EMDR or somatic work. Not every approach is used with every child. Because we look at the whole child, we also consider sleep and stress patterns, and we coordinate with your pediatrician or medical provider when that is helpful.
You are part of this
Rebuilding safety starts at home
A child heals fastest inside relationships that feel safe, which makes you central to the work. We coach you on how to respond when hard feelings surface, how to answer difficult questions, and how to steady the routines that help your child feel secure again.
You will never be left guessing. We keep you informed and supported throughout, in a way that respects your child's privacy and comfort.
A promise about pacing
Your child will not be pushed to relive it
One of the biggest worries parents bring is that therapy will force their child to retell something painful. It will not. We follow your child's lead. Much of the work happens through play and creative expression, and a child only revisits a hard memory when they feel ready and safe enough to do so.
Why families choose us
Trauma-informed, whole-child care
- Gentle, trauma-informed care that moves at your child's pace
- The whole-child view, including the body carrying the stress
- Experience with children who have been through a great deal
- A veteran-owned practice that understands military-connected families
- Real partnership with parents at every step
- In person in San Diego, or by telehealth across California
- A faith-integrated option for families who want it
- Comfortable working with families who felt stuck in therapy before
Help your child feel safe again
You don't need to have all the details or the right words. Tell us what you are noticing, and we will help you find a gentle next step.
Common questions
Parents often ask
What counts as trauma for a child?
Trauma is less about the size of an event and more about how overwhelming it felt to your child and whether it outpaced their ability to cope. An experience that seems manageable to an adult can still be a lot for a child. If something hard has happened and your child seems different, it is worth a conversation.
My child went through something hard but seems fine. Should I still be concerned?
Not necessarily concerned, but it can be worth checking in. Children sometimes show the effects later, or through behavior rather than words. A consultation can help you decide whether support would help, with no pressure either way.
Will my child have to talk about what happened?
No. We follow your child's lead and never push them to retell a painful experience before they are ready. A great deal of the work happens through play, art, and building a sense of safety.
What ages do you work with?
We work with children ages 5 and up, along with teens and families.
Do you use EMDR with children?
When it is appropriate and the child is ready, care may include child-adapted approaches such as EMDR or somatic, nervous-system work, alongside play and creative therapies. Not every approach is used with every child.
Do you work with the body and nervous system too?
Yes. Difficult experiences often live in the body, so we include grounding and calming work. We look at the whole child and coordinate with your pediatrician when medical factors may be involved. Psychotherapy does not diagnose or treat medical conditions.
Do I participate in my child's therapy?
Yes. Parents are central, especially with trauma. We coach you on how to support your child and rebuild a sense of safety at home, while respecting your child's privacy and comfort.
Is faith-integrated support available?
Yes, for families who want it. It is always optional and never required.
Do you take insurance?
New Birth is a private-pay practice. We provide superbills you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement, though reimbursement is never guaranteed. Current rates are on our fees page.
Explore related care
New Birth Family Counseling provides psychotherapy to clients located in California and offers whole-child, mind-body informed care for children ages 5 and up. This page is informational and does not constitute medical or psychological advice or a diagnosis. Trauma-informed care is individualized, and outcomes vary from child to child.
Are you a pediatrician or provider looking to refer a child? Visit our professional referrals page.