F.A.Q.

At the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery, we treat any and all forms of trauma. Our team specializes in helping individuals heal from experiences that have overwhelmed the mind, body, and spirit. Whether your trauma was recent or occurred years ago, we understand how it can continue to affect your emotions, relationships, and sense of self—and we are here to help you recover fully.

We provide trauma therapy for a wide range of experiences, including:

• Abuse: emotional, physical, or sexual abuse from childhood or adulthood

• Domestic violence and relationship trauma

• Betrayal trauma and infidelity

• Divorce and major life transitions

• Assault or violence of any kind

• Incarceration-related trauma for individuals and families

• Suicide loss or exposure to traumatic events

• Military trauma and combat-related PTSD

• First responder trauma, including police, EMTs, firefighters, and healthcare professionals

At the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery, no trauma is “too small” or “too big.” If it changed how you see yourself or the world, it matters—and healing is possible.

Many people who come to the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery worry that they “don’t remember” what happened—or that they can’t recall details clearly enough to work on their trauma. This is actually very common. When something overwhelming or unsafe occurs, the brain protects you by storing memories in fragments or by blocking them altogether. Not remembering doesn’t mean the trauma didn’t happen—it means your mind and body did exactly what they needed to survive.

You do not need to remember every detail for trauma therapy to work. Our trauma therapists in Utah are trained in approaches like EMDR therapy, somatic processing, and trauma-focused CBT, which focus on healing the emotional and physical responses tied to trauma, not just the memory itself. We help you process the feelings, sensations, and beliefs that remain in your body and nervous system, even when your conscious memory is limited.

Over time, as you build safety and trust, your mind may naturally begin to recall pieces of your story—or it may not. Either way, healing is absolutely possible. At the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery, we meet you where you are. Whether you remember everything, parts, or nothing at all, we focus on restoring balance, peace, and hope so you can move forward and live free from the past.

It’s completely normal to wonder if what you’ve been through “counts” as trauma. Many people who come to the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery aren’t sure whether their experiences qualify as trauma—they just know that something feels off. You might feel anxious, disconnected, numb, or stuck in patterns that don’t make sense. You may not have a single event that stands out, but rather a lifetime of stress, instability, or emotional pain that has slowly taken a toll.

Trauma isn’t defined only by what happened to you, but by how it affected you. If you’ve ever felt unsafe, unseen, or powerless—and those feelings continue to shape how you think, feel, or relate to others—you may be carrying unresolved trauma. Common signs include chronic anxiety, difficulty trusting others, people-pleasing, emotional overwhelm, or feeling like you’re “on edge” all the time.

At the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery, our trauma therapists help you understand what’s really happening beneath the surface. We take the time to explore your symptoms, history, and life experiences to identify what’s causing distress. Even if you’re unsure, we’ll help you make sense of what you’re feeling and create a personalized plan to begin healing. You don’t need to label it “trauma” to deserve help—if it’s affecting your peace or your relationships, it matters.

At the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery, our environment and treatment approach are designed primarily for teens and adults. Our space and clinical style are not set up like a traditional child therapy office, which often includes play-based tools and child-specific materials.

That said, we understand that trauma can affect individuals of all ages, and we are sometimes able to work with older children who can engage in talk-based therapy and understand the setting. If your child is emotionally mature and able to participate in therapy similar to a teenager, we’re happy to meet with you to discuss whether our approach would be a good fit.

If we determine that a younger child would benefit more from a different type of environment, we will gladly provide referrals to trusted child trauma therapists in Utah who specialize in play therapy and child-focused trauma recovery.

Our goal is always to ensure that every client—regardless of age—receives the right level of care, in the right environment, with the right support for healing.

At this time, the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery operates as a private pay (cash-pay) clinic. This allows us to provide the highest level of confidentiality, flexibility, and individualized care without the restrictions or limitations that can come with insurance-based treatment.

We currently accept clergy pay for clients whose church or faith organization offers assistance for counseling services.

If you would like to use your insurance benefits now, we are happy to provide a superbill (an itemized receipt) that you can submit to your insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement.

Our goal is to make high-quality trauma therapy and EMDR services as accessible as possible while maintaining the flexibility and depth of care that true trauma recovery requires.

Why don’t we take insurance?
Because exceptional trauma care should never be dictated by the lowest bidder.

Insurance companies are built for minimum-level care — short sessions, limited methods, and symptom management. They determine how long healing “should” take, what interventions are allowed, and how deep you’re permitted to go.
That model is the opposite of what true trauma recovery requires.

At the Utah Center for Trauma Recovery, we provide a level of expertise, time, attention, and precision that insurance simply does not reimburse for.
Our work is:

• Specialized

• Intensive

• Highly customized

• Designed for complete healing, not maintenance

This is not fast-food therapy.
This is concierge-level trauma treatment.

You get longer sessions, EMDR intensives, in-depth assessments, whole-person identity rebuilding, and a therapist who is an expert — not an intern, not a generalist, and not someone pressured to meet insurance quotas.

Still, we believe healing should remain accessible. That’s why we offer:

• Payment plans

• Clergy pay

• Trauma intensives that reduce overall treatment time

• Flexible scheduling

• Freedom to heal at your own pace, not an insurance company’s timeline

If your priority is finding the cheapest option, there are community centers that can help — and they serve an important purpose.
But if your priority is world-class trauma care with proven results, deep expertise, and a level of attention most clinics can’t offer, then you belong here.

This is not just therapy.
This is your healing, done the right way.

We understand that this is an investment, and we’re committed to making it worthwhile by providing efficient, evidence-based care that leads to lasting results.

Yes. We are proud to serve first responders, military personnel, and veterans who experience trauma related to duty, exposure to crisis, or the unique pressures of service.

Our therapists are trained in EMDR, trauma-informed therapy, and stress injury recovery, and we understand the culture of strength, loyalty, and responsibility that often makes it hard to reach out for help. Whether you’re dealing with acute stress, burnout, moral injury, or long-term PTSD, our approach is practical, confidential, and focused on helping you get back to a place of balance and purpose.

You’ve spent your life protecting others — it’s okay to invest in your own recovery now.

Yes — and it can be incredibly effective. Many couples discover that unresolved trauma is at the root of ongoing relationship struggles such as emotional distance, communication breakdown, or trust issues.

Our Couples Trauma Therapy helps partners understand how trauma affects each person’s nervous system, emotional reactions, and relationship patterns. We focus on creating safety, improving communication, and helping both partners regulate together rather than against each other.

Some sessions may include individual trauma work while others focus on relationship healing. When both partners engage in the process, it often leads to deeper connection, compassion, and long-term relational growth.

Absolutely. The Utah Center for Trauma Recovery provides professional consultation and trauma-informed training for clinicians, schools, treatment centers, and organizations.

Our goal is to help professionals and teams implement trauma-responsive practices that improve client care, reduce burnout, and strengthen organizational culture. We offer:

• EMDR consultation and certification support for therapists

• Trauma-informed leadership and organizational training

• Workshops on compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma prevention

For more information, visit our Trainings page or contact us to customize a program for your team.