PTSD/Trauma
Are You Carrying the Weight of Trauma?
Every day, you show up for others protecting lives, saving strangers, and walking into situations that most people can’t imagine. You do it because it’s your duty. It’s who you are.
But when the shift ends, the images don’t always fade. The sound of the siren, the call that went wrong, the loss you couldn’t prevent, they linger.
If you’ve been wondering why you can’t “just move on,” or if you’ve noticed that you’re not sleeping, feeling on edge, or avoiding people or places that remind you of the job… you’re not weak you’re human.
At Charison Counseling, we specialize in helping police officers, firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers, and veterans heal from the invisible wounds of trauma and reclaim their sense of safety, peace, and control.
You’ve dedicated your life to protecting others. Now, it’s time to protect your own well-being.
Understanding PTSD and Trauma
natural response to overwhelming stress or life-threatening experiences.
First responders face chronic exposure to trauma: critical incidents, line-of-duty deaths, violence, child abuse cases, accidents, and moments where split-second decisions mean life or death. Over time, that exposure can take a toll, leading to symptoms that interfere with daily life, relationships, and emotional stability.
Common PTSD symptoms include:
- Re-experiencing the trauma: intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares.
- Hyperarousal: sleep disturbances, irritability, anger outbursts, or feeling “always on alert.”
- Avoidance: steering clear of reminders, people, or emotions linked to the trauma.
- Emotional numbing: disconnection, loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities, or feeling detached from loved ones.
PTSD often overlaps with depression, anxiety, substance use, and chronic stress, making it difficult to function even when you’re trying your best to push through.
But here’s the truth: You can recover. Trauma may shape your story, but it doesn’t define your future.
The Hidden Cost of Service
For first responders, trauma doesn’t always happen in a single event, it’s often accumulative. Each call, each tragedy, and each near miss adds another layer to what’s already been carried.
You may look calm on the outside, but inside, you’re running on overdrive. The adrenaline that once kept you sharp starts to wear you down.
You might notice:
- Snapping at loved ones for small things
- Numbness or emotional detachment
- Trouble sleeping or nightmares
- Using alcohol to “shut it off”
- Feeling constantly on guard, unable to relax
- Avoiding calls, coworkers, or conversations about certain incidents
If any of this sounds familiar, please know you are not broken. You are reacting to extraordinary stress in a very human way.
Healing is possible, and it starts with taking one step toward support.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
How Trauma Therapy Can Help
At Charison Counseling, we understand that trauma is stored in the body and mind, and healing requires addressing both.
Our trauma-informed therapy helps you:
- Reclaim a sense of safety: learning how to calm your nervous system and feel grounded again.
- Reduce intrusive thoughts and hyperarousal: using evidence-based techniques like trauma-focused CBT.
- Process painful memories: so, they no longer control your emotions or daily functioning.
- Strengthen resilience and emotional regulation: rebuilding confidence and trust in yourself.
- Reconnect with relationships: restoring intimacy and communication with family, friends, and partners.
- Find purpose again: rediscovering who you are outside of the uniform and beyond the trauma.
Our Approach: Compassionate, Confidential, and Culturally Competent
We recognize the culture of first responders the unspoken rule that you “suck it up,” that vulnerability can be seen as weakness, and that trust is earned slowly.
At Charison Counseling, your privacy and dignity are our top priorities. This is a space where you can take off the armor and be yourself no rank, no judgment, no stigma.
You will work with a licensed clinician experienced in trauma recovery and first responder mental health. Together, we will create a personalized treatment plan focused on your unique experiences and goals.
We integrate:
- Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Somatic techniques for grounding and calming the body
- Mindfulness and emotional regulation tools
- Faith-based support (optional for clients who wish to incorporate spirituality)
Our sessions are collaborative, structured, and deeply compassionate. Healing happens at your pace, with steady support every step of the way.
For Law Enforcement Officers
The job demands composure under chaos, but even the strongest officers can experience burnout, trauma, and emotional fatigue. PTSD in law enforcement is common not because officers are weak, but because they carry too much for too long.
If you’ve witnessed violence, lost a partner, or carry guilt from an incident in the field, therapy can help you process those experiences and regain emotional balance.
Our work together focuses on building resilience, reducing hypervigilance, and restoring connection to yourself and others so you can continue to serve without losing your sense of peace or purpose.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
For Firefighters and EMTs
Firefighters and paramedics face unique types of trauma repeated exposure to death, medical emergencies, and situations that rarely have “good endings.”
You might be haunted by scenes you can’t forget or feel detached from the people you love because no one truly “gets it.” That isolation can lead to anxiety, depression, or burnout over time.
At Charison Counseling, we offer a space where you can unpack the emotional load, find relief from intrusive memories, and reconnect to what once fueled your passion for the job.
You’ve carried the weight for others long enough. Now it’s time for someone to help carry yours.
Healing Is Not Forgetting It’s Reclaiming Control
You don’t have to relive every detail of what happened to heal. Our trauma therapy process helps you integrate your experiences in a way that allows your brain to release the “stuck” response.
You’ll learn how to:
- Calm the physical stress response in your body
- Replace guilt with self-compassion
- Identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns
- Strengthen coping tools that actually work
- Find meaning and peace beyond the trauma
Over time, your triggers lose power. The nightmares fade. And you begin to feel like yourself again not defined by the trauma, but stronger because of your recovery.
What to Expect in Your Initial Session
Your initial session is not an interrogation or a retelling of every painful detail. It’s a safe conversation, a chance to share your story at your own pace.
We’ll explore what brought you here, what symptoms you’ve been experiencing, and what kind of support feels most comfortable for you. From there, we’ll develop a customized treatment plan focused on your needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Sessions are online throughout California, Maryland and Virginia providing flexibility and privacy for first responders whose schedules are demanding.
Why Choose Charison Counseling
- Specialized in First Responder Mental Health: We understand the unique culture, language, and pressures of your profession. We have been doing it since Sept 11, 2001
- Confidential & Supportive: You deserve a space to talk without fear of stigma or professional consequences.
- Evidence-Based & Compassionate Care: Combining proven trauma therapies with deep empathy and understanding.
- Convenient Access: In-person and secure telehealth sessions for flexibility and discretion.
- Located online throughout California, Maryland and Virginia: Because healing should be accessible no matter where duty calls.
You Don’t Have to Live in Survival Mode Forever
Many first responders live for years believing that nightmares, irritability, and emotional detachment are “just part of the job.” But the truth is healing is possible.
You can feel calm again. You can sleep through the night. You can rebuild connection, purpose, and peace.
It takes courage to serve and it takes courage to heal.
If you’re ready to take that next step, we’re ready to walk beside you.
Schedule Your Session Today
At Charison Counseling, we help first responders recover from PTSD, trauma, and chronic stress with compassion, respect, and proven therapeutic care.
You’ve spent your life protecting others. Now, let’s take care of you.
- Located in Newport Beach, CA
- Offering Online Therapy Throughout California
- Contact us today to schedule your session and start your journey toward healing and restoration.