Trauma Therapy in Evanston, IL
Compassionate, nonjudgmental support to integrate your past into renewed clarity, purpose, and fulfillment.
Trauma doesn’t always look the way we expect it to.
You may not have a specific memory, but something in your mind or body still remembers. Often, trauma often shows up in the present—even when what caused it is in the past. This can look like shutting down in certain situations, reacting strongly to seemingly minor things, or feeling anxious and disconnected without knowing why.
Trauma isn’t just about what happened to you—it’s about how your nervous system responded to overwhelming or unsafe experiences. Those protective responses (numbing, avoiding, overreacting, feeling stuck) are your body’s way of surviving. They’re not flaws; rather, they’re signs of how hard you’ve worked to cope.
If you’re dealing with the effects of childhood trauma, abuse, medical trauma, a major loss, or simply years of feeling unsafe, therapy can help.
Common effects of trauma:
Feeling constantly on edge or hyper-aware of your surroundings
Emotional overwhelm or shutting down in stressful situations
Difficulty managing anger, sadness, or anxiety
Disconnection from your body, emotions, or sense of identity
Trouble forming or maintaining close relationships
Using avoidance, overworking, or numbing to cope
Intense self-criticism, shame, or feeling “broken”
Reacting to certain situations in ways that don’t seem to make sense
OUR APPROACH
At Mimi Landau, LCSW & Associates, we take a psychodynamic, relational approach to trauma therapy.
That means we help you explore how past experiences—especially those that felt unsafe, overwhelming, or invalidating—continue to shape your current thoughts, feelings, and patterns.
However, therapy isn’t solely about analyzing your past. We work to create a space where you feel safe, understood, and empowered to make real changes.
In trauma therapy, we focus on:
Building a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship as the foundation for healing
Exploring how past trauma shows up in your body, emotions, and relationships
Helping you name and process unresolved experiences with care and support
Developing practical tools to regulate emotions and build self-trust
Strengthening boundaries and rewriting internal narratives rooted in shame or fear
Reconnecting with your sense of purpose, identity, and agency
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A research-based method that helps reprocess distressing memories in order to reduce their emotional intensity, lead to peaceful resolution, and improve positive self-beliefs
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A body-based approach that helps release stored tension and restore a sense of safety and calm
For some clients, we may also incorporate trauma-specific techniques like:
We are committed to helping you heal, reclaim your life, and move forward with a sense of wholeness and empowerment.
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faqs
Frequently asked questions
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No. Many people experience trauma symptoms without a specific memory or event. Therapy can still help you explore those reactions, understand what your body is communicating, and begin healing—even if your trauma isn’t tied to a single story.
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Not at all. Trauma can result from any experience that felt overwhelming, unsafe, or left you without support. This might include emotional neglect, medical procedures, bullying, complicated relationships, or growing up in a high-stress environment.
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That’s a valid fear—and we won’t push you. Trauma therapy doesn’t force you to relive the past. It’s more about moving at your pace, helping you feel safe enough to explore what comes up, and offering tools to manage those emotions along the way.
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Yes. Trauma often overlaps with other struggles, and we take a whole-person approach. Whether it shows up in your mood, self-esteem, or relationships, we’ll help you make those connections and move toward lasting change.