How to Find Trauma Therapy in Missouri: A Therapist’s Guide to Getting the Right Support
If you're living with the effects of trauma or PTSD, we want you to know this: you're not alone—and healing is possible. Whether you’re in Kansas City, Columbia, St. Louis, Springfield or a small Missouri town in between, trauma therapy can help you feel more grounded, safe, and in control again.
At Aspire Counseling, we specialize in trauma-focused therapy for people across the state of Missouri. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what trauma therapy is, how to choose a therapist who’s a good fit, and how to access care—no matter where you live in Missouri.
What Is Trauma Therapy?
Photo retrieved from Unsplash on 3/31/25
Trauma therapy is a type of counseling that helps you process distressing experiences—whether they were recent or happened years ago. Some people come to therapy after a single traumatic event. Others are living with the effects of ongoing trauma, like childhood abuse, relationship violence, or emotional neglect.
Trauma can show up in many ways, including:
Feeling numb or disconnected
Trouble sleeping or concentrating
Panic attacks or high anxiety
Flashbacks or nightmares
Avoidance of places, people, or reminders of what happened
A deep sense that something is “off” but not knowing why
A licensed trauma therapist can help you understand your nervous system, build tools to feel safe again, and work through the memories or patterns that are keeping you stuck.
How to Choose a Trauma Therapist in Missouri
There are a lot of options—and that can feel overwhelming. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a therapist for trauma or PTSD:
1. Look for someone trained in evidence-based trauma treatments.
In Missouri, therapists may use approaches like:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT)
Polyvagal-informed therapy
At Aspire Counseling, many of our Missouri-based trauma therapists are trained in EMDR and other evidence-based treatments that have been shown to help people truly heal—not just cope.
2. Make sure they specialize in trauma.
Not every therapist has advanced training in trauma care. You deserve someone who understands how trauma affects the brain and body and can create a plan based on your needs.
3. Consider location—but don’t limit yourself.
Photo from @geojango_maps on Unsplash 3/31/25
You can get trauma therapy from anywhere in Missouri through secure online sessions. Aspire Counseling serves clients statewide through online therapy for trauma, as well as in-person trauma therapy in Columbia, MO and Lee’s Summit, MO.
Whether you're in Springfield, St. Louis, Blue Springs, Jefferson City, or a rural area—we're here to help.
Do I Need a Trauma Therapist?
You don’t need to have a formal PTSD diagnosis to benefit from trauma therapy. If you're noticing that old experiences are getting in the way of how you want to live, therapy can help. Many people feel hesitant to use the word “trauma” at first, but still feel relief and clarity once they begin working with a compassionate, experienced therapist.
What If I’ve Tried Therapy Before?
This is a common concern, and it makes sense to feel unsure. If past therapy didn’t help—or even made things worse—you may not have had someone who truly understood trauma. Honestly, trauma is one of those things in mental health that truly needs to be treated by a specialist.
Think of it this way-if you have headaches, you may start with seeing your general practiction/primary care physician. But at some point, you realize you need a neurologist that specializes in treating severe headaches. The therapist you worked with before may have been more like that PCP physician. At Aspire Counseling, our Missouri licensed trauma therapists are true specialist. With years of helping MIssourians with PTSD symptoms and specialized training and expertise in various trauma therapies, we likely do things a little different than what you experienced before.
We focus on helping you build safety, self-understanding, and tools to feel more stable before diving deeper.
Trauma Therapy in Missouri with Aspire Counseling
Aspire Counseling is a trauma-informed group practice offering both online therapy across Missouri and in-person therapy in Columbia and Lee’s Summit. We work with:
Adults healing from childhood abuse or neglect
First responders and medical professionals with work-related trauma
Teens experiencing anxiety and trauma after bullying, assault, or family conflict
Individuals with complex trauma and dissociation
Clients struggling with both PTSD and OCD (a common pairing)
We believe you deserve therapy that’s compassionate, evidence-based, and tailored to your specific experience.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You don’t have to do this alone. Whether you’re just starting to explore trauma therapy or looking for someone new who really gets it, we’re here to help.
📍 Serving all of Missouri, including Kansas City, Columbia/Mid Missouri, Blue Springs/Lee’s Summit, St. Louis, and more
💻 Offering secure online trauma therapy statewide in Missouri
🌱 Specializing in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, and teen mental health
Reach out today to schedule a free consultation call. We’d be honored to walk alongside you on your path to healing.
At Aspire Counseling, Trauma Therapy is what we do. We specialize in supporting people who have been through stressful events and are now struggling to make sense of what happened and move forward. Our licensed MIssouri therapists & counselors are here to help. With years of experience with trauma therapist such as EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy & TF-CBT, we can help. Call us today & start your path to feeling better.
About the Author
Jessica Tappana, MSW, LCSW
Jessica is a licensed clinical social worker who has been working in the mental health field since 2008. After completing the clinical track and graduating with her MSW in 2011, she has dedicated her career to helping individuals in Missouri heal from trauma and anxiety. Jessica has a special passion for supporting clients through debilitating panic attacks and PTSD. She is the founder of Aspire Counseling and has thoughtfully built a team of evidence-based trauma therapists serving clients across Missouri with in person counseling offices in Lee’s Summit & Columbia, Missouri.
