This guest blog is written by Chelsea Newton, LCSW, M.Ed., a Denver based Trauma Therapist, Sex Therapist, and Social Worker specializing in helping people heal from sexual trauma. She wants her trauma therapy clients to know that healing from sexual abuse or trauma is possible. Healing is possible. She helps clients reduce trauma symptoms, get peace of mind, and enjoy pleasurable sex.
How long therapy takes for trauma depends on the severity of your trauma symptoms. For some clients, that means a few months. For other clients, it means a few years.
When trying to figure out how long therapy takes for trauma, it can be frustrating to hear “it depends” from every single therapist you talk to (but it’s true).
Every person’s therapeutic needs are different. There are a lot of factors that play into how long therapy takes for trauma and symptoms of PTSD.
In an attempt to not be super annoying, and just say, “it depends” (which it does). I have created some general estimates for how long therapy takes for trauma.

Below, I will discuss common individual factors that affect timelines for trauma therapy.
Common Individual Factors Affecting Timelines For Trauma Therapy
Your unique needs play a huge role in how long it takes to complete trauma therapy.
As a trauma therapist in Denver, I will define trauma, talk about trauma symptoms, and cover some common individual factors that affect how long trauma therapy takes.
Defining Trauma
Trauma affects everyone differently. What is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another.
Trauma is defined as, “a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.”
What is deeply distressing or disturbing to one person, may not be deeply distressing or disturbing to another.
This is why it is essential to get individualized care for your trauma.
Severity of Trauma Symptoms
Severity of trauma symptoms range from mild to severe. The severity of trauma symptoms matters in terms of how long it will take to complete trauma therapy.
How long does trauma therapy take for severe trauma symptoms
If your trauma symptoms are more severe, trauma therapy may take longer. You will need time to regulate and then build skills to manage symptoms.
How long does trauma therapy take for mild trauma symptoms
If your trauma symptoms are mild, trauma therapy may be shorter. With the support of a trauma therapist, you may be able to regulate and build skills faster.
How do I know if my trauma symptoms are severe or mild?
I wish I had a straightforward answer to this. I don’t 😩
The easiest way to determine the severity of your trauma symptoms is to work with a professional who can help assess what’s going on.
It is common for people who have experienced trauma to feel as though their trauma symptoms aren’t “that bad.”
If you are experiencing trauma symptoms, you deserve support.
The severity of trauma symptoms matters in terms of how long it will take to complete trauma therapy.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
(In no particular order, because there is no hierarchy of trauma symptoms!)
Guilt
Flashbacks
Insomnia
Difficulty concentrating
Anxiety
Intrusive memories
Anger
Fear
Changes in mood
Irritability
Alcohol and substance misuse
Depression
Aggressive behavior
Obsession with the traumatic event
Nightmares
Keep reliving the traumatic event
Easily startled
Physical symptoms (dizziness, chest pain, stomachaches, etc.)
Dissociation
There is a common myth that some trauma is worse than others or that some trauma symptoms are worse than others. This is simply untrue. Keep reading to learn more.
Types of Trauma
A traumatic experience can create symptoms of trauma.
How trauma impacts someone is incredibly individualized and will depend on the experience, the person, the response, and a lot of other factors.
Regardless of the type of trauma, the effects can range from mild to severe. This impacts how long trauma therapy will take.
There is a common misconception that trauma symptoms only warrant attention or treatment when they are the most severe.
Remember, though, there is no “hierarchy” of trauma or trauma symptoms.
Types of Trauma
(in no particular order, because there is no hierarchy of types of trauma)
Natural disasters
School bullying/violence
Childbirth
Sex Trafficking
Assault
Traumatic grief
Physical abuse
Accidents
Witnessing violence
Chronic health condition
Childhood neglect
Domestic violence
Community violence
Sexual abuse
There is a common myth that some trauma is worse than others or that some trauma symptoms are worse than others. This is simply untrue. Keep reading to learn more.
While there are many different types of traumatic experiences, their impact can be the same.
It Happened A Long Time Ago. Why Should I Do Therapy Now?
Trauma therapy clients sometimes say to me “that was a long time ago.”
It can be very upsetting, frustrating, and confusing to experience trauma symptoms from something that happened in the past or a long time ago.
❌ In fact, many of my trauma therapy clients do not seek therapy saying, “I have all these trauma symptoms, I need help for trauma.”
✔️ Trauma therapy clients are more likely to come to me saying, “I don’t understand what’s going on, but something is wrong. I don’t feel like myself. I’m not sure if this is related, but [insert traumatic experience that happened a long time ago].”
Just because a traumatic experience happened in the past does not mean that it does not warrant attention now.
Unfortunately, traumatic experiences from the past commonly create current symptoms of trauma.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Guilt
Flashbacks
Insomnia
Difficulty concentrating
Anxiety
Intrusive memories
Anger
Fear
Changes in mood
Irritability
Alcohol and substance misuse
Depression
Aggressive behavior
Obsession with the traumatic event
Nightmares
Keep reliving the traumatic event
Easily startled
Physical symptoms (dizziness, chest pain, stomachaches, etc.)
Dissociation
ANY trauma symptom that is affecting you is “enough” to warrant attention, care, and support.

More severe symptoms of trauma typically mean a longer, more comprehensive therapeutic process to meet therapeutic goals.
Less severe symptoms of trauma may be easier to manage by building coping skills and integrating them into your day-to-day.
There are no shortcuts in trauma therapy. The severity of your trauma symptoms and what you want to get out of therapy will impact the timeline.
Coping skills
We all have coping skills. The coping skills that you already have (yes, you have coping skills!) will affect how long therapy takes for trauma.
If you have strong coping skills that work for you, progress might be faster.
If you have limited coping skills, or ones that actually make you feel worse (it’s common, you’re not alone) you’ll need more time.
Healing from trauma is not an easy process, and it’s not a race.
Clients who invest the time, energy, and resources required to heal from trauma will often reflect back to me that therapy for trauma, “takes as long as it takes.”
In trauma therapy, I help you identify the coping skills you already have and build new ones.
Commitment to therapy

It’s reasonable to feel uncertain around talking to a literal stranger about trauma.
Which is why we will build a relationship first.
For some trauma clients, they arrive at therapy overflowing. Meaning, they have been holding in their stories for so long, that they are fully prepared to share it all.
For other trauma clients, they arrive skeptical. They tell me that they have been in therapy before and it did not help. Or worse, the therapist they had pushed them too hard, too fast and completely overwhelmed them and they stopped therapy*.
*A side note on stopping therapy. If you ghosted your last therapist, I’m not judging you. Maybe they sucked. Maybe it was just too much. Maybe both.
If you are not feeling it with your therapist (any therapist) please tell them. Your feedback can be a meaningful way to express yourself and get what you need. Therapists can handle feedback. In fact, it’s really helpful, and seriously, we just want to help.
I understand that facing trauma is not exactly fun. However, your commitment to healing in therapy has a huge impact on the pace of progress.
Clients who are highly committed to weekly therapy sessions have better outcomes. The more willing you are to try new things both in a therapy session and outside of therapy sessions, the quicker the progress.
Lack of motivation or lukewarm engagement in therapy will extend the process.
This doesn’t mean you have to be “all in” all the time. Even in trauma therapy we need time to catch up on the latest happenings in your life. Like what you’re currently binging on Netflix or who your friend made out with at the bar (don’t worry, all therapy is confidential, your opinions are safe with me).
Life Events
Expected and unexpected life events can also impact how long trauma therapy takes. You get a new job (yay!), you have a breakup (TBD), your bird dies (I’m so sorry).
Acknowledging and addressing life events happens. It has to. Sometimes that means that the trauma therapy work is put on pause. It’s ok.
We will adapt the roadmap as we go.
When challenges arise or life happens, we can learn a lot about ourselves. Alot that can be useful to the trauma therapy part too :)
There is no such thing as wasted time in therapy (unless your therapist totally sucks or you’re lying to them, which no judgment if you are, but you could be wasting your time).
Support systems
You need people.
Having a strong support system of friends, family, and/or community will positively impact trauma therapy.

Having a support system while in trauma therapy makes it easier to heal and grow. It can also help shorten the duration of therapy (but, like always, it really depends).
Response to trauma therapy
Everyone responds differently to therapy. Some of my trauma therapy clients in Denver have noticeable improvements quickly, while others need more time.
Trauma therapy is not a race. There are no shortcuts.
As a trauma therapist in Denver, I monitor and adjust the therapeutic treatment plan based on your individual progress and needs.
Trauma therapy is not one size fits all.
In trauma therapy, or any therapy really, everything is tailored to you. The therapeutic relationship we build together is deeply personalized and unique to you.

How we work together, how we vibe, and how connected you feel to your therapist all impact how long trauma therapy takes.
I offer a free vibe check so that you can meet me and decide how it feels. Do we vibe? Can you see yourself talking to me? Does my New England accent make you want to close all tabs? These are important questions to ask when considering a trauma therapist, especially since you will be spending months or years working with them.
I often tell folx, the relationship with your therapist is the most important part of therapy. Sure, your therapist needs to know what they are doing (see my credentials), but the letters after my name are not the thing that make me a great trauma therapist.
I work hard to build a genuine connection with my clients. They know that they matter to me. I am invested in their healing and growth. I am rooting for you, always.
General Timeline For Trauma Therapy
Generally speaking, there are three phases to trauma therapy: Safety & Stabilization, Processing Trauma, and Integration.
Safety and Stabilization

Your safety is the highest priority.
If you are in an unsafe environment or having extreme challenges with emotional regulation, we will first ensure that you are safe and stable.
Safety and stabilization are the foundation for healing in trauma therapy. I find that for my trauma clients in Denver, this stage of therapy often provides immediate relief from some of their most intense trauma symptoms.
Expectation Setting in Trauma Therapy
During the first phase of trauma therapy, we will also set realistic expectations around how long trauma therapy takes.
Having a general sense of how long trauma therapy will take is important. Having realistic expectations will make your trauma therapy experience better. You deserve to know how much time, energy, and money you’re investing.
As we begin to work together, you will help me understand what’s happening now, what happened in the past, and what you want out of trauma therapy. All of this makes it easier for us to estimate how long trauma therapy will take.
Trauma therapy timelines vary, but I want my trauma therapy clients to have the most realistic expectations possible.
Setting the foundational work for trauma therapy also gives us time to get to know each other. Before we move into the trauma processing phase of trauma therapy, we will have built some rapport, and trust.
The fact that we are no longer total strangers makes talking about trauma in therapy easier. Not easy, but easier. I do everything I can to make my clients as comfortable as possible when entering into the trauma processing phase of therapy.

Trauma ProcessingPhase of Trauma Therapy
Yep, this is the “doing the work” part. It’s not always fun, it’s not always pretty, but trauma processing is the heart of trauma therapy.
During the trauma processing phase, you are building skills, exploring emotions, changing patterns, and learning practical strategies for managing your trauma and PTSD symptoms.
The trauma processing phase is when we will talk about your trauma. Remember, you are in control here.
I cannot, and will not, make you share anything you do not want to process in trauma therapy. You have my unwavering support.
Plus, getting through the trauma processing phase leads to relief. Ahhhh. 🤤
Integration
You are experiencing relief (cue happy dance!) 🕺
You have made positive changes. 👏
Your symptoms of trauma and PTSD are minimal or well managed. 🥳
Congratulations, your courage is really paying off. 💚
It’s time to start integrating your healing into your life and relationships. This looks like working on new goals for the future.
As you begin to heal, you may notice that hope for the future is within reach. You will have less focus on the experiences of your past. You will have confidence in your ability to be present and plan for the future.
Final thoughts
How long trauma therapy takes depends on a million factors. It’s impossible for me to assign an exact number of sessions to your healing.
In an effort to not be totally annoying, I created this general timeline for trauma therapy:

With the support of a trauma therapist, you should have a more realistic idea of the customized timeline for your healing. The timeline will depend on your therapeutic goals, needs, and the severity of your trauma symptoms.
If you aren’t quite ready to take on a full course of trauma treatment, you might have more specific targeted goals toward symptom reduction.
This could provide immediate relief and set a foundation for trauma work to be done in the future, when you’re ready.
You don’t have to do it all at once, and you absolutely do not have to do it alone.
I would be honored to support you in therapy so that you can start feeling better NOW.
You got this! And I got you. Reach out today to get started.

Chelsea Newton, MSW, LCSW, M.Ed.
she/her/hers
Chelsea is the Founder and Therapist at Phases of the Mind Therapy. She’s a queer Social Worker and Sex Therapist who is passionate about helping people heal from sexual trauma and enjoy pleasurable sex. She’s based in Colorado, and when she’s not providing therapy, she can usually be found in her backyard sipping hot tea and watching the birds.
Get to know more about Chelsea by visiting her website at https://www.phasesofthemindtherapy.com!
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