Trauma has a way of following you. It can show up as the racing heart when something catches you off guard, the tightness in your chest when you try to be close to someone, or the relentless inner voice telling you that you are not safe, not good enough, not worthy of love. You may have spent years trying to push past it, power through it, or pretend it isn’t there, and yet it keeps shaping your days in ways you can’t quite control.
If this is your experience, what you’re going through makes sense. Your mind and body are doing exactly what they were designed to do in response to overwhelming experience. And with the right support, you can heal. I’m Christy Ford, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and Certified IFS Therapist in Manassas, VA, and trauma and PTSD treatment is the core of my clinical work.
Want to talk about what you’ve been through? Call (571) 229-3418 or book your first session.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma is the lasting emotional and psychological response to an event or series of events that overwhelmed your capacity to cope. Trauma is not defined by the event itself but by how your mind and body responded to it. What is traumatic for one person may not be for another, and your experience is valid regardless of how it compares to anyone else’s.
Trauma can result from a wide range of experiences, including:
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Childhood neglect or abandonment
- Domestic violence
- Accidents, injuries, or medical trauma
- Loss of a loved one
- Natural disasters or community violence
- Witnessing violence or harm to others
- Emotional or psychological manipulation
- Racial, cultural, or systemic trauma
When trauma occurs in childhood or happens repeatedly over time, it is often called complex trauma or developmental trauma. Complex trauma shapes the way your nervous system develops, how you form attachments, and the core beliefs you hold about yourself and the world. It’s a core focus of my practice, and I bring specialized training and IFS-based approaches to this work.
Signs and Symptoms of Trauma and PTSD
Trauma expresses itself differently in every person, but some common signs include:
- Re-experiencing symptoms: flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories, or intense emotional reactions to reminders of the trauma
- Avoidance: steering clear of people, places, situations, or conversations that remind you of what happened
- Hyperarousal: feeling constantly on edge, difficulty sleeping, irritability, exaggerated startle response, or difficulty concentrating
- Negative changes in beliefs and mood: persistent shame, guilt, or self-blame; feeling detached from others; loss of interest in things you once enjoyed; distorted beliefs about yourself or the world
- Dissociation: feeling disconnected from your body, emotions, or surroundings; gaps in memory; feeling like things aren’t real
- Relationship difficulties: difficulty trusting others, patterns of conflict, fear of intimacy, or repeatedly finding yourself in unhealthy relationships
- Physical symptoms: chronic pain, headaches, digestive problems, or other unexplained physical complaints
If you’re experiencing several of these symptoms, it may be a sign that past trauma is still active in your system. You may also want to explore whether dissociative experiences or anxiety are part of your picture.
How IFS Therapy Helps with Trauma
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is one of the most effective approaches to trauma recovery available today. Unlike some trauma therapies that focus on prolonged exposure to traumatic memories, IFS works from the inside out by building a relationship with the parts of you that were affected by trauma.
Here’s why IFS is so well-suited for trauma work:
It respects your defenses. In IFS, the protective mechanisms you developed in response to trauma (avoidance, numbing, hypervigilance, people-pleasing) are not seen as problems to be eliminated. They are parts that took on extreme roles to keep you safe. By honoring their intentions, we create the conditions for genuine change rather than forcing past resistance.
It heals at the root. IFS identifies and works directly with the exile parts that carry the pain, fear, shame, and beliefs that originated in traumatic experiences. Through the unburdening process, these parts can release what they’ve been holding, leading to real, lasting change rather than just managing symptoms.
It puts you in the driver’s seat. IFS strengthens your connection to your Self, the calm, curious, caring core within you that has the natural capacity to heal your wounded parts. Rather than depending solely on the therapist, you develop an internal healing resource that stays with you beyond therapy.
It doesn’t require re-traumatization. You do not have to relive or recount every detail of your trauma to heal in IFS. The focus is on your internal experience and relationship with your parts, which allows healing to occur without re-traumatization.
My Approach to Trauma and PTSD Treatment
As a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and Certified IFS Therapist, I bring nearly two decades of specialized experience to the treatment of trauma and PTSD. My Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Towson University provided a strong clinical foundation, and I have devoted my career to understanding how trauma affects the mind, body, and spirit.
My approach is grounded in IFS, which I have found to be the most effective model for trauma recovery. I am Level 2 trained through the IFS Institute and have extensive experience working with both single-incident trauma and complex developmental trauma. I also integrate somatic awareness into our work, paying attention to how trauma lives in the body, not just the mind.
For some clients, I weave in elements of other therapeutic approaches such as psychodynamic perspectives, mindfulness practices, and person-centered approaches. For those whose faith is an important part of their lives, I am comfortable integrating Christian perspectives into the healing process. My overarching philosophy is that healing happens in relationship, both the therapeutic relationship between us and the internal relationship between you and your parts.
I understand that reaching out for trauma therapy can itself feel overwhelming. You may worry about being judged, about losing control, or about whether therapy can really help. My office is a place where you can go at your own pace and be met with respect, not pressure. You can learn more about my background and training on my about page.
What to Expect in Trauma and PTSD Treatment
Beginning trauma and PTSD treatment is a courageous step, and I want you to feel prepared for what the process looks like:
Phase 1: Safety and Stabilization. Before we approach trauma directly, we focus on building a strong therapeutic relationship and developing internal resources. This includes getting to know your protective parts, learning grounding techniques, and establishing a sense of safety in our work together.
Phase 2: Processing and Healing. Once you feel stable and your protector parts are on board, we can begin working with the exile parts that carry trauma. Using the IFS unburdening process, these parts can release the painful emotions, beliefs, and body sensations they’ve been holding. This phase is paced entirely according to your readiness.
Phase 3: Integration and Growth. As traumatized parts heal, the whole internal system reorganizes. Protectors can relax their extreme roles, and you may find new capacities for joy, connection, trust, and self-compassion emerging naturally.
Sessions are 50 minutes and are available in-person at my Manassas, VA office and via telehealth for residents of Virginia and Florida. My fee is $215 per session, and I accept Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. I offer an initial consultation to answer your questions and help you determine if we’re a good fit.
Why Choose A New Day Is Dawning Therapy?
- Dual specialized credentials: Certified IFS Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, a rare combination reflecting real expertise in both the modality and the clinical area.
- 19+ years of clinical experience with a consistent focus on trauma and its related conditions.
- Comprehensive trauma expertise spanning PTSD, complex trauma, developmental trauma, dissociative disorders, and related issues like anxiety and eating disorders.
- Warm, client-centered approach that honors your pace and never pushes you beyond what feels safe.
- Flexible options including in-person and telehealth sessions.
If you’re ready to start, schedule a consultation or call (571) 229-3418. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.