Trauma therapist in Seattle
TL;DR: Healing from childhood trauma is possible with evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches. Amanda Buduris, Ph.D., is a trauma therapist in Seattle who specializes in helping adults process trauma using Brainspotting, EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP). These therapies help reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, improve emotional regulation, and foster connection with oneself and others. Extended therapy intensives can accelerate breakthroughs, offering a structured environment to process trauma safely.
Childhood trauma can shape how we see ourselves, relate to others, and navigate the world. Many adults carry the effects of neglect, emotional abuse, or repeated stressful experiences from childhood, which can lead to anxiety, difficulty trusting others, chronic stress, and challenges in relationships.
If you’ve experienced these effects, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start. As a trauma therapist in Seattle, I specialize in helping adults work through childhood trauma using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches. I focus on therapies like Brainspotting, EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) to help clients reclaim safety, regulation, and connection.
Understanding the Impact of Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma can leave lasting effects that show up in adulthood in a variety of ways. Common experiences include chronic anxiety, difficulty managing stress, heightened fight-or-flight responses, challenges with trust and intimacy, and struggles with self-worth or confidence.
These responses are not personal failings—they are adaptations your nervous system developed to navigate environments that felt unsafe. Understanding this helps reframe self-blame and lays the groundwork for healing.
For adults who experienced early trauma, everyday situations can unexpectedly trigger intense emotional or physical reactions. You might notice heightened stress in relationships, difficulty setting boundaries, or strong emotional responses to seemingly minor events.
These reactions are rooted in the body’s memory of past danger, rather than the present moment itself.
Trauma-informed therapy addresses both the mental and somatic impact of these early experiences. By integrating techniques that work with the brain and body, therapy helps adults recognize triggers, process unresolved trauma, and build strategies to respond rather than react. Over time, this approach supports not just survival, but the ability to cultivate emotional resilience, healthy relationships, and a stronger sense of self.
Brainspotting: Accessing and Releasing Stored Trauma
What it is: Brainspotting is a trauma therapy that targets the subcortical brain, where emotional and somatic memories of trauma are stored. By focusing on specific “brainspots” through eye positioning, clients can access and release these deep-seated experiences.
How it helps:
Releases physical tension stored in the body from past trauma.
Improves emotional regulation and resilience.
Facilitates deep emotional processing in a safe, controlled environment.
Example: A client may notice that recalling a childhood event triggers tightness in the chest. Brainspotting allows them to focus on the specific eye position linked to that memory while processing the emotions and physical sensations, reducing the intensity over time.
Learn more about Brainspotting here.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Rewriting Trauma
What it is: EMDR helps individuals reprocess distressing memories using bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements. The therapy helps the brain integrate traumatic experiences so they no longer provoke intense emotional reactions.
How it helps:
Reduces emotional charge of traumatic memories.
Creates new, healthier associations with past events.
Supports clients in feeling grounded and present, rather than triggered by past experiences.
Example: A client struggling with feelings of shame from emotional neglect can, through EMDR, recall the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, which over time reduces the intensity of those emotions and helps form a more balanced self-perception.
Internal Family Systems (IFS): Understanding Your Parts
What it is: IFS is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals explore the different “parts” of themselves—the protective, vulnerable, and exiled aspects that form in response to trauma.
How it helps:
Encourages self-compassion by understanding internal protective mechanisms.
Supports integration of parts that were suppressed or avoided due to trauma.
Promotes greater internal harmony and improved emotional regulation.
Example: A client may have a “critical inner voice” developed in childhood to survive emotional neglect. IFS helps them separate from this voice, understand its protective intent, and work toward self-compassion and healing.
Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP): Regulating the Nervous System
What it is: SSP is a neuroscience-based listening therapy designed to enhance the social engagement system and regulate the nervous system. It uses music and sound patterns to help clients feel calmer and more socially connected.
How it helps:
Reduces hypervigilance and anxiety.
Improves ability to connect emotionally with others.
Prepares the nervous system to engage safely in therapy and daily life.
Example: A client who experiences heightened anxiety when talking about relationships can use SSP to calm the nervous system, making emotional processing during therapy sessions more effective.
Therapy Intensives: Accelerating Trauma Healing
While weekly therapy is effective, therapy intensives provide an opportunity for deeper, faster progress. In multi-hour or multi-day intensive sessions, clients can process multiple layers of trauma in a focused, supportive setting.
Benefits include:
Rapid emotional processing and relief from persistent trauma symptoms.
Increased emotional regulation and resilience in a shorter period.
The ability to tackle complex trauma issues that may take months in traditional weekly therapy.
Example: A client with layered childhood trauma may spend a 3-hour intensive session in Brainspotting, working through multiple triggers in a structured environment, resulting in noticeable emotional release and clarity.
Learn more about therapy intensives here.
Why Work with a Trauma Therapist Trained in Multiple Modalities
Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, and SSP each work with trauma in distinct ways, targeting different layers of the nervous system, emotions, and cognitive patterns. Understanding these differences allows a therapist to tailor interventions to the client’s specific experiences and goals.
Working with a therapist trained in multiple modalities offers flexibility in treatment. Clients can engage with techniques that address both the mental and somatic effects of trauma, experimenting within a safe, supportive environment to discover what feels most effective for them.
This personalized approach often accelerates progress, as therapists can dynamically adjust techniques to meet the client’s evolving needs. By integrating multiple therapies, clients are better able to process trauma fully, build emotional resilience, and experience more cohesive, long-lasting healing.
Taking the First Step Toward Healing
Starting therapy can feel daunting, especially for adults with complex trauma. The first step is a consultation, where you can discuss your experiences, explore therapy options, and develop a plan tailored to your needs.
Therapy provides:
A safe and structured environment to process difficult emotions.
Tools and techniques to regulate the nervous system and manage triggers.
Guidance to rebuild trust, self-compassion, and connection.
With consistent support and practice, adults can process trauma, feel more secure in themselves, and experience greater connection in relationships.
Takeaways
Childhood trauma can have profound, long-lasting effects, but healing is possible with trauma-informed approaches. Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, and SSP each offer unique benefits for adults seeking to process and integrate their experiences. Therapy intensives provide opportunities for deep, accelerated healing, while a multi-modal approach ensures a tailored plan for your needs.
Working with a trauma therapist trained in multiple modalities allows for flexibility, guidance, and comprehensive support—helping you move from surviving trauma to thriving in daily life.
Looking for a trauma therapist trained in multiple modalities?
Start your healing journey by scheduling a consultation to explore which approach is best for your recovery.
About the author
Amanda Buduris, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist is a licensed therapist with over 10 years of experience supporting clients in Seattle, Washington. She specializes in trauma recovery, couples therapy, and attachment-focused work, and uses evidence-based approaches like EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS, and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help clients heal from past trauma, improve relationship dynamics, and build emotional resilience. At PNW Psychological Wellness, she is committed to providing compassionate, expert care both in-person and online for clients across Washington, Oregon, and 42 other states through PSYPACT.
