Struggling in relationships after trauma?
You may find yourself feeling triggered, overwhelmed, or stuck in patterns you can’t seem to change, even when you understand them.
Complex PTSD and relational trauma often develop from prolonged stress, neglect, or emotional harm. Over time, they can affect how you feel about yourself, how safe you feel with others, and how you show up in relationships. You might experience anxiety, emotional ups and downs, intrusive memories, or a constant sense of being on edge.
This isn’t a personal failure. It’s how trauma shows up in the nervous system.
Through EMDR and trauma-focused therapy, we help you process these experiences at the root—so you can feel more grounded, more connected, and more in control in your relationships.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) and relational trauma are closely connected, but they can affect people in different ways.
C-PTSD often develops after long-term or repeated trauma, such as ongoing abuse, neglect, or chronic stress. Over time, it can impact emotional regulation, self-worth, and your overall sense of safety. Many people experience intense emotions, negative beliefs about themselves, or a persistent feeling of helplessness.
Relational trauma happens within important relationships, especially early caregiving or intimate connections. When trust is repeatedly broken through neglect, inconsistency, or harm, it can lead to difficulty feeling safe with others, fear of vulnerability, and patterns that repeat in relationships.
These experiences often overlap, and both require a thoughtful, specialized approach to healing.
We take an integrative, trauma-informed approach that is tailored to your unique experience. This may include:
By combining these approaches, we focus on more than symptom relief. We help you process trauma at its root, strengthen your sense of self, and build safer, more fulfilling relationships.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Rebecca Hoffenberg, a clinical psychlogist and head of our EMDR practice, specializes in Complex PTSD, attachment trauma, and the effects of emotional neglect and abuse. She helps clients understand and heal patterns like emotional dysregulation, low self-worth, and feeling chronically alone—often rooted in early environments where their emotional needs were unmet.
Using a compassionate, trauma-informed approach and advanced Relational EMDR, Dr. Hoffenberg supports clients in rebuilding a sense of self, safety, and connection. She also mentors other therapists in treating complex trauma, extending her impact beyond her individual client work.
Read More about Dr. Hoffenberg
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Ami Zala specializes in helping adult children of mentally ill parents heal from the effects of denial, gaslighting, and chronic invalidation. She understands how these experiences can lead to complex PTSD, distorted self-perception, and difficulty trusting one’s own emotions and identity.
Using EMDR, psychoanalytic insight, and an acceptance-based approach, Dr. Zala helps clients process past trauma, challenge harmful beliefs, and rebuild a stronger, more compassionate sense of self. Her work supports clients in moving beyond confusion and self-doubt toward clarity, resilience, and lasting emotional healing.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Andrew Curreri specializes in complex PTSD and the lasting impact of childhood abuse. He works with individuals who grew up carrying emotional burdens, often internalizing blame, shame, and fear—experiences that can show up in adulthood as anxiety, hypervigilance, low self-worth, and difficulty regulating emotions.
Using a trauma-informed, integrative approach, Dr. Curreri draws from EMDR, exposure therapy, and CBT to help clients process painful experiences, break cycles of self-blame, and feel safer in their bodies and relationships. His compassionate, thoughtful care supports clients in moving beyond survival mode toward a life rooted in clarity, resilience, and self-compassion.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Jamie Diamond, Psy.D. specializes in treating Complex PTSD and the long-term effects of early relational trauma. She helps clients understand how chronic stress, emotional neglect, or disruptions in safety and trust can shape their sense of self and relationships throughout life. With warmth and deep clinical expertise, Dr. Diamond creates a safe, supportive environment where clients can begin to process painful experiences and rebuild emotional stability.
Drawing from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dr. Diamond tailors her approach to meet each client’s unique needs. Her integrative, trauma-informed work focuses on helping clients regulate their emotions, reduce shame, and develop healthier patterns of connection. Through this process, she empowers individuals to move from survival mode toward resilience, self-compassion, and a renewed capacity for trust and fulfillment in their relationships.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Micah Zylstra specializes in working with CPTSD and relational trauma, particularly for individuals shaped by early loss, such as the death of a parent, or growing up in chaotic or unpredictable home environments. He helps clients understand how these early experiences impact their sense of safety, identity, and relationships, often leading to patterns of fear, emotional overwhelm, or difficulty trusting others.
Using a blend of psychoanalytic therapy and EMDR, Dr. Zylstra works to uncover and process the deeper roots of trauma while helping clients build resilience in the present. His approach supports clients in making sense of their past, shifting long-standing patterns, and developing healthier, more secure ways of relating to themselves and others.
Complex PTSD and relational trauma are exceptionally challenging and profoundly impactful forms of psychological distress. Such traumas not only inflict deep emotional wounds but also disrupt an individual's ability to trust others and form healthy connections. Both complex PTSD and relational trauma can manifest as a wide range of symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, and pervasive feelings of shame and guilt. It often feels like navigating through a constant storm of emotional turbulence. A person may experience profound feelings of worthlessness, self-doubt, and a pervasive sense of being unlovable. Relational trauma can make them hyper-vigilant, always on edge, and prone to anxiety and mistrust in relationships. It's as if they are carrying the weight of past hurts and betrayals, making it challenging to form healthy connections and maintain a positive self-image.
Research on EMDR's efficacy in treating complex PTSD has yielded promising results. A study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that EMDR was effective in reducing symptoms of complex PTSD, including emotional distress and dissociation. Another study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology showed that EMDR led to significant improvements in self-esteem and interpersonal problems, which are common challenges for individuals with complex PTSD.
The combination of EMDR with other therapeutic approaches, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), attachment-focused therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), offers a comprehensive and highly impactful strategy for individuals facing the profound challenges posed by complex PTSD and relational trauma. These integrated therapies work in synergy to address the intricate dimensions of trauma, enabling individuals to reconstruct their lives and relationships on a foundation of healing and strength.
You don’t have to stay stuck in these patterns. Healing is possible, and we’re here to help you get there.
