Trauma Therapy in Orange County CA
Living with trauma can feel like you are always braced for impact, even when nothing “bad” is happening. You may look functional from the outside, yet inside you feel hypervigilant, numb, or ashamed that you cannot just move on. Trauma therapy offers a place to understand what happened, how it lives in your nervous system, and how you can begin to feel safer in your own life again.
When your past still feels too close
Trauma is not only about what happened. It is about what is still happening inside you. Many people I work with describe things like:
- Emotional flashbacks or sudden waves of shame, fear, or panic that seem out of proportion.
- Feeling “on edge” or checked out, as if your body is in survival mode most of the time.
- Intrusive memories, nightmares, or vivid images related to painful events in your past.
- People pleasing, perfectionism, or conflict avoidance that began as a way to stay safe.
- Difficulty trusting others, setting boundaries, or staying present in relationships.
- Using work, substances, sex, food, or screens to numb out or get through the day.
If you recognize yourself in any of these, it does not mean you are broken or weak. It is a sign that your nervous system has been carrying more than it was designed to carry on its own.
What is trauma?
In clinical terms, trauma is not only about extreme events. It is any experience that overwhelms your capacity to cope and leaves a lasting imprint on your mind and body. This might include single events such as accidents, assaults, or medical crises, as well as ongoing experiences such as emotional neglect, chronic criticism, bullying, or growing up in an unsafe environment.
Neuroscience research shows that trauma can change how key brain and nervous system circuits function, especially those involved in threat detection and memory.
This is why you may react to everyday situations as if danger is happening right now, even when you “know” you are safe. Trauma therapy focuses on helping your system register safety again so that your body does not have to live as if the worst is always about to happen.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Let’s take the first step together. Call so we can schedule a consultation.
How trauma therapy helps
Trauma therapy is more than talking about what happened. It is a structured process that helps your nervous system complete responses that were interrupted, make sense of the story you carry, and reconnect you with parts of yourself that had to shut down for survival. Together we move at a pace that respects your limits while still gently challenging the patterns that keep you stuck.
EMDR for stuck and overwhelming memories
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based approach that uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating tactile tones, while you safely recall aspects of a disturbing experience. Over time, the emotional intensity linked to that memory can soften, and your brain can store it as something that is truly in the past rather than as an ongoing threat.
Somatic and nervous system based work
Trauma lives in the body as well as in thoughts. Somatic therapy helps you notice physical sensations, impulses, and patterns of bracing or collapse. Working within your “window of tolerance”, we explore small shifts in posture, breath, and awareness that teach your nervous system that it does not have to stay in fight, flight, or freeze. Over time, many people experience more ease, presence, and choice rather than automatic reactions.
Trauma-focused cognitive and relational therapy
Trauma can distort what you believe about yourself, other people, and the world. Trauma focused cognitive work helps you notice and gently question beliefs such as “I am too much”, “I am not enough”, or “nothing good lasts”. In a grounded, relational therapy space, you can experiment with new ways of relating, setting boundaries, and asking for what you need without shame.
Psychodynamic and attachment focused therapy
For many adults, the deepest wounds are attachment wounds. This work explores how early relationships shaped your sense of self, your ability to trust, and the ways you protect yourself now. We pay attention to patterns that show up between us in session, not to blame you but to give us a live map for healing. When therapy itself becomes a place where you can be more fully yourself, that change begins to ripple out into the rest of your life.
Types of trauma I work with
In my Orange County and online practice, I work with adults and couples who are living with many forms of trauma, including:
- Acute trauma and PTSD related to accidents, injuries, medical events, or assaults.
- Complex and developmental trauma from growing up in unpredictable, shaming, or unsafe environments.
- Intergenerational trauma where patterns of fear, silence, or survival have been passed down through families.
- Relational and attachment trauma including emotional neglect, betrayal, or narcissistic abuse.
- Medical and health related trauma such as invasive procedures, misdiagnoses, or difficult hospitalizations.
- Vicarious and secondary trauma experienced by therapists, helpers, first responders, and caregivers.
You do not need to know which “category” you fit into for therapy to help. We will be curious together about how your history shows up in the present and what healing might look like for you.
What sessions with me are like
My approach is trauma informed, relational, and paced around your nervous system. In our work together you can expect:
- Time to tell your story at your pace, without pressure to share details before you feel ready.
- Attention to both your thoughts and your body so that insight and regulation grow together.
- Clear collaboration around goals, session focus, and the use of approaches like EMDR or somatic work.
- Respect for your cultural, spiritual, and identity realities, including experiences of marginalization or oppression.
- Support for the anxiety, depression, addiction, or relationship struggles that often accompany trauma.
You are always in charge of how deep we go and how quickly. My role is to offer a safe, attuned space and effective tools while we walk through this work together.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Let’s take the first step together. Call so we can schedule a consultation.
Trauma therapist in Orange County and across California
I am Jim Brillon, LMFT #100807 and LPCC #5081, a trauma focused therapist serving adults and couples in Orange County CA with offices in Los Alamitos and Costa Mesa, as well as online throughout California. I have extensive training in trauma treatment, including EMDR, somatic approaches, and attachment focused work, and I have spent many years helping people heal from experiences that once felt unspeakable.
Some people come to trauma therapy after a single shocking event. Others arrive after realizing that long term patterns of anxiety, shame, people pleasing, or emotional shutdown are rooted in older wounds. Wherever you find yourself, therapy can provide a structured, compassionate place to begin healing.
Take the next step
You do not have to sort this out on your own. If you are wondering whether your symptoms are trauma related or you are simply tired of carrying so much by yourself, we can talk about what support might look like.
Call (714) 388-6457 or use the contact form on this site to schedule a consultation and see whether trauma therapy with me is a good fit for you.
Healing will not erase what happened. It can change your relationship to those experiences so that your past no longer runs your present and future.