Trauma Therapy:
Healing from the Inside Out at New Life Recovery

This article explains how trauma therapy supports lasting recovery by addressing the root causes of addiction and mental health challenges through holistic care.
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Written and reviewed by the clinical team at New Life Recovery in Fresno, California, including licensed therapists, medical professionals, and recovery specialists committed to helping individuals build healthier futures.

What This Page Covers

In this guide on trauma therapy and recovery, expect to learn more about:
  • Trauma therapy is a specialized treatment that helps individuals heal from distressing experiences affecting mental health and addiction recovery.
  • Types of trauma, such as acute, chronic, and complex, impact the brain and can lead to co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
  • Trauma therapy helps clients process and reframe traumatic experiences, empowering them to break cycles of avoidance, self-medication, and relapse.
  • New Life Recovery offers a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach with therapies like EMDR, CBT, and DBT, combined with holistic healing methods such as yoga and art therapy.
  • Trauma therapy is provided across all levels of care, including detox, inpatient, and outpatient—to support continuous healing.
New Life Recovery in California meets the state’s unique trauma challenges with compassionate, integrated care designed to restore hope and lasting recovery.

Keep reading to learn more about how our Central Valley, California rehab can help you heal and connect with us for the support you deserve.

Table of Contents

What is Trauma Therapy?

Trauma therapy is a specialized form of mental health care focused on helping individuals process and heal from deeply distressing experiences.1 It plays a critical role in both mental health and substance use disorder treatment, offering a pathway toward sustainable healing and lasting sobriety.

Trauma is often at the root of many emotional and behavioral challenges, and addressing it directly is essential to break free from cycles of avoidance and self-medication.

At New Life Recovery, located in California’s Central Valley, we are dedicated to providing trauma-informed, holistic care through a full continuum of treatment.

Our premier trauma therapy programs are designed to meet each individual where they are, integrating evidence-based therapies with holistic healing to support transformation on every level–mind, body, and spirit.
trauma therapy

Understanding Trauma and Its Impact

Trauma is more than a moment of pain, it’s the lasting imprint left behind when the mind and body are overwhelmed.2 It can alter the way we think, the way we relate to others, and how safe we feel in the world.

Types of Trauma

Trauma shows up in many forms, each unique but equally valid in its impact.3 At New Life Recovery, we recognize the importance of identifying the different types of trauma to guide effective, personalized care:

  • Acute Trauma results from a single, overwhelming event, such as a serious accident, natural disaster, or violent incident.
  • Chronic Trauma stems from repeated exposure to distressing situations, like ongoing abuse, domestic violence, or prolonged illness.
  • Complex Trauma often develops in early life and involves exposure to multiple traumatic events, especially in the context of relationships, such as childhood neglect, abandonment, or systemic oppression.
Common sources of trauma can include physical or emotional abuse, sexual assault, combat experiences, childhood neglect, discrimination, accidents, and more. No matter the source, the effects can be deeply rooted.

Trauma is more common than many realize. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, approximately 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives, ranging from abuse or neglect to systemic violence and natural disasters.4

How Trauma Affects the Brain and Body

When trauma is left unprocessed, it becomes stored in the body and brain, specifically within the nervous system.

The brain’s threat-detection system becomes hyperactive, constantly scanning for danger, even in safe environments. This can lead to symptoms like anxiety, irritability, insomnia, dissociation, and difficulty regulating emotions.

For many, these internal storms lead to coping through external means–seeking relief in substances, risky behaviors, or emotional withdrawal. Over time, these survival strategies can evolve into co-occurring disorders that complicate the healing process.

Trauma and Co-Occurring Disorders

Trauma is often the missing link in treating both mental health conditions and substance use disorder (SUD).
Unresolved trauma can increase the risk of developing conditions such as:
  • Anxiety and panic disorders
  • Depression and suicidal ideation
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Chronic impulsivity or self-harm behaviors
  • Substance use disorders

The Role of Trauma Therapy in Recovery

Trauma therapy works by creating a safe space where individuals can gradually:
  • Process painful experiences that were too overwhelming to fully feel at the time
  • Reframe beliefs that were shaped by trauma—such as “I’m not safe,” or “It was my fault”
  • Integrate those experiences into a larger story—one rooted in truth, agency, and healing

In addiction and dual diagnosis treatment, trauma therapy is essential because it addresses the root causes of substance use and emotional distress. Many people use drugs or alcohol to numb the pain of trauma, but this only deepens the cycle of suffering.

Without trauma therapy, recovery can feel like building a house on an unstable foundation. Trauma therapy gives clients solid ground to stand on.

Breaking the Cycle

Trauma therapy empowers clients to move beyond cycles of:
  • Avoidance, where emotions are numbed or pushed down
  • Self-medication, using substances or behaviors to escape
  • Relapse, when unprocessed emotions trigger old patterns

Through trauma-informed care, clients learn to feel without fear, remember without shame, and live without numbing. That’s when recovery becomes more than abstinence; it becomes freedom.

trauma therapy

New Life Recovery’s Approach to Trauma Therapy

At New Life Recovery, trauma therapy is woven into every level of care, from medical detox to outpatient services. Our Fresno rehab’s trauma-informed philosophy ensures that all interactions, environments, and treatments recognize the impact of trauma and prioritize safety, trust, and empowerment.

Integrated, Evidence-Based Therapies

We integrate several evidence-based trauma therapies that are tailored to each person’s unique needs:5

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

Helps reprocess traumatic memories by using bilateral stimulation, allowing the brain to refile painful events without the same emotional charge.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Identifies and reshapes negative thought patterns developed from trauma, restoring more accurate, balanced thinking.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Offers practical skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These are key tools for those navigating trauma’s emotional aftermath.

A Safe, Supportive Environment for Real Healing

True trauma healing requires trust. That’s why we intentionally foster a setting where clients feel secure in every aspect, physically, emotionally and relationally.
Each therapy session is a collaborative space, and each treatment plan is carefully tailored to:
  • The type and severity of trauma
  • Cultural and personal background
  • Co-occurring mental health or substance use concerns
  • Readiness for certain modalities or depth of processing
No one is rushed. No one is forced to “dig deep” before they’re ready. Instead, our approach is grounded, respectful, and paced in a way that allows real change to take root.

Whole-Person Recovery: Mind, Body, and Spirit

Healing trauma is more than about talking through memories; it’s about restoring balance across the whole person. Holistic healing modalities at New Life Recovery enhance trauma therapy outcomes by addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Modalities That Support Deep Healing

Our integrated approach includes a wide range of holistic therapies, each chosen to support emotional resilience, somatic awareness, and personal growth:
  • Yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness: Teach clients to ground, regulate, and return to the present moment, vital tools for healing trauma.
  • Art therapy and expressive therapies: Create safe, creative outlets for emotions that may be too overwhelming or complex for words.
  • Nutrition, movement, and nature-based therapies: Support physical healing, emotional balance, and a reconnection to the natural rhythms of life.

Regulating the Nervous System, Reclaiming Self

When the nervous system is stuck in fight, flight, or freeze, the body can’t fully relax. And when the body doesn’t feel safe, neither does the mind.
At our Central Valley dual diagnosis rehab, our goal is to help every individual who comes to us for support:
  • Learn to recognize their internal cues and patterns
  • Develop tools for self-soothing and emotional regulation
  • Experience joy, movement, and connection again, sometimes for the first time in years

Trauma Therapy Across the Continuum of Care

One of New Life Recovery’s greatest strengths is offering a full continuum of care on one campus, allowing seamless transitions between treatment stages while maintaining trauma-sensitive support throughout.

Medical Detox

Trauma-sensitive care during medical detox supports physical stabilization while minimizing retraumatization. Gentle, compassionate approaches help clients feel safe as they begin recovery.

Inpatient

Residential treatment provides intensive trauma therapy alongside 24/7 support, creating a secure environment for deep healing work. This includes individual therapy, group sessions, and holistic activities designed to restore balance.

Outpatient

As clients move into outpatient programs, trauma therapy continues with flexibility to fit daily life demands, ensuring ongoing growth and relapse prevention.
This integrated care model means clients are never left to navigate trauma recovery alone. Every level of care reinforces a consistent trauma-informed approach, helping individuals build lasting resilience and empowerment.
trauma therapy

Why Trauma Therapy Matters in California

California faces unique trauma-related challenges that make accessible, trauma-informed care more important than ever. Wildfires, urban stressors, community violence, and social inequities contribute to widespread trauma exposure across diverse populations.

Many individuals in California’s Central Valley and beyond live with the lingering effects of these stressors, often alongside substance use and mental health struggles. Unfortunately, trauma therapy is not always easy to access or tailored to these specific needs.

New Life Recovery meets this critical need with compassion and innovation. Our treatment center is rooted in the community and informed by the realities clients face daily. We provide accessible, evidence-based trauma therapy with holistic healing practices that honor the mind, body, and spirit.
Through community outreach, education, and professional training, New Life Recovery also helps build awareness and support networks, further expanding trauma-informed care in California.

Ready to Reclaim a Life You Love?

If you’re carrying the burden of trauma, substance use, or both, know that healing is within reach and you don’t have to face it alone.
At New Life Recovery, our trauma therapy programs offer a safe, compassionate space where your story is honored and your potential for transformation is real. We believe in your capacity to love your life again.
Our team of licensed and credentialed professionals is ready to walk alongside you through every stage of recovery, providing personalized care that integrates the best of clinical science and holistic healing.
Take the first step today. Reach out to New Life Recovery in Fresno, California, to learn how our trauma therapy options can support your journey to a new life—one built on hope, healing, and strength.

Why Choose New Life Recovery for Trauma Therapy?

With New Life Recovery, you or your loved one can experience:
  • All levels of care on one campus: Detox, residential, and outpatient services in a seamless continuum.
  • Trauma-informed, evidence-based treatments: EMDR, CBT, DBT, and more, tailored to your needs.
  • Holistic healing modalities: Yoga, mindfulness, nutrition, art therapy, and physical fitness to nurture mind, body, and spirit.
  • Expert medical oversight: Weekly visits with Dr. Yoon, a board-certified addictionologist.
  • A family-oriented, supportive environment: Where connection, unity, and transformation are the foundation.
At New Life Recovery, trauma therapy is a gateway to reclaiming your life and rediscovering joy on your terms.

Love your life. Start your healing journey today.

FAQs

What qualifications do New Life Recovery therapists have to provide trauma therapy?
Our clinical team consists of licensed and credentialed professionals with specialized training in trauma-informed care and evidence-based therapies, ensuring personalized and expert support throughout your recovery journey.
The length of trauma therapy varies based on individual needs and severity of trauma. Our programs offer flexible durations across all levels of care, with ongoing support to help clients sustain healing long-term.
Yes, we encourage family participation through family system approaches and educational support to foster understanding, healing, and stronger relationships during the recovery process.
Currently, our trauma therapy services are primarily provided in person at our Fresno campus to ensure a safe and supportive environment, but we are exploring virtual options for future accessibility.
We work with many insurance providers and assist clients in verifying coverage to make trauma therapy affordable. Our admissions team is available to help you understand your benefits and financial options.

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