Trauma Therapy Asheville
A Compassionate, Evidence-Informed Approach to Healing Trauma
Trauma therapy at Mindful Therapy Asheville offers a deeply supportive space for individuals navigating trauma and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD). This approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Somatic IFS, somatic therapy principles, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness practices, and contemporary trauma research from leaders such as Gabor Maté, Peter Levine, and Frank Anderson. Trauma therapy focuses on helping clients gently reconnect with their inner resources, regulate overwhelming emotions, tend to the body’s trauma responses, and heal the parts of themselves that carry traumatic burdens. You can read more about trauma and its effects on our Trauma & Complex PTSD page.
Understanding the Nature of Trauma
Modern trauma theory teaches that trauma is not just the event itself, but what happens inside the nervous system when an experience overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. Gabor Maté describes trauma as “a disconnection from the self,” while Peter Levine emphasizes how trauma becomes “trapped in the body,” leading to chronic dysregulation, hypervigilance, emotional flooding, or numbness. For many, especially those with complex trauma, the nervous system remains stuck in survival responses—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—long after the danger has passed.
At Mindful Therapy Asheville, trauma therapy helps clients understand why symptoms arise, how trauma reshapes both the brain and the body, and how to gradually restore connection to the Self — the calm, centered core of who you are.
An Internal Family Systems (IFS) Approach to Complex Trauma
IFS therapy, created by Dr. Richard Schwartz, offers one of the most effective frameworks for treating complex trauma. Through this model, clients learn that the mind naturally organizes into “parts,” each trying to protect the system in its own way.
Building on Schwartz’s work, IFS psychiatrist Frank Anderson teaches that trauma often causes certain tender, wounded “exiled parts” to become cut off from the Self, while protective parts work tirelessly to prevent further pain. In trauma therapy we:
Gently explore protective parts (managers, firefighters) and their strategies
Build trust and safety within the internal system
Compassionately access the exiles holding traumatic memories
Support a process of unburdening and reconnecting these parts with the Self
This approach allows trauma to be healed without retraumatization, at a pace that feels safe and grounded.
Integrating Somatic IFS and Somatic Therapy (Inspired by Susan McConnell)
Trauma is held not only in memory but also in sensations, breath patterns, posture, and the nervous system. Drawing from Somatic IFS, developed by Susan McConnell, therapy incorporates gentle, body-based awareness to help clients connect with parts through:
Awareness of subtle sensations and body cues
Breath as a bridge to calming and attuning to parts
Movement or posture shifts that express or soothe internal experiences
Imaginal or symbolic touch to support parts needing comfort or safety
Somatic resonance—using the therapist’s regulated presence to help clients co-regulate
Somatic IFS deepens the work by helping clients feel trauma patterns in the body, not just think about them, allowing for more complete and embodied healing.
How ACT and Mindfulness Support Trauma Healing
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) complements IFS by helping clients relate differently to painful thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Rather than fighting internal experiences, ACT teaches:
Emotional acceptance and self-compassion
Defusion from painful thoughts and trauma-driven beliefs
Reconnection with personal values
Taking gentle, meaningful actions even in the presence of difficult emotions
Mindfulness practices — grounding, breath awareness, body-based regulation — help stabilize the nervous system, increase resilience, and enhance the client’s capacity to stay present while processing deep emotional material.
Together, IFS, ACT, and mindfulness create a holistic, trauma-informed path toward long-term healing.
Common Experiences Addressed in Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapy can be helpful for individuals experiencing:
Complex PTSD and early attachment trauma
Emotional flashbacks or intrusive memories
Chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, or shutdown
Shame, self-blame, or persistent negative beliefs
Difficulty in relationships or trust
Body-based symptoms related to trauma
Feeling disconnected from oneself or others
This work is especially supportive for those who feel that talk therapy alone has not reached the deeper layers of trauma.
The Goals of Trauma Therapy
Through this integrated approach, clients often experience:
Greater emotional regulation
Reduced anxiety and distress
Relief from complex PTSD symptoms
Deepened self-understanding and self-compassion
A restored sense of inner safety
Healing of wounded “exiled” parts
Stronger alignment with personal values
Increased capacity for joy, connection, and meaning
Healing trauma doesn’t erase what happened — it transforms the relationship to it, restoring wholeness and agency.
Begin Trauma Therapy in Asheville
If you are seeking trauma therapy or Complex PTSD treatment in Asheville, NC, Mindful Therapy Asheville offers a grounded, compassionate, and evidence-informed space to begin healing. Through the combination of IFS therapy, ACT, mindfulness, and the trauma research of Gabor Maté, Peter Levine, Richard Schwartz, and Frank Anderson, this approach honors both the science of trauma and the resilience of the human spirit.