Trauma-informed therapy is clinical care built on the understanding that trauma changes the brain and that addiction is often an attempt to manage those changes. It runs through all the evidence-based addiction treatment therapies at LACATC in Encino, shaping how every clinician works. VA research finds 45% of adults with PTSD also struggle with drugs or alcohol, and that overlap is the population we built this program for.
Why must trauma and addiction be treated together?
Trauma and substance use can interact in different ways. An integrated assessment can help determine whether trauma-focused care should be included in an individual treatment plan.
The integrated approach at LACATC changes 3 things:
- One team treats both conditions, so nothing falls between providers
- Therapy sequencing respects stability, building coping skills before processing trauma
- Medication decisions account for PTSD symptoms, not just withdrawal
This integration is the core of our dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders in Los Angeles. Half a treatment produces half a recovery, and we do not sell halves.
The substance was never the problem. It was the anesthesia.
What trauma therapies does LACATC use?
LACATC uses EMDR, trauma-focused cognitive therapy, and grounding skills training, matched to each patient's history and stability. Talk-it-all-out is not the only route, and for many patients it is not the best one.
The 3 core methods work differently:
- EMDR reprocesses traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation, without requiring detailed retelling
- Trauma-focused work through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for addiction treatment corrects the guilt and threat beliefs trauma installs
- Grounding and regulation skills give patients control over flashbacks and panic in the moment
Method selection happens with you, not to you. Your therapist explains each option, and consent drives every step deeper. Control was what trauma took, so control is where therapy starts.
What is EMDR like?
EMDR is a structured therapy that may use bilateral eye movements or taps while a person processes traumatic memories. Response and treatment length vary, and EMDR is not appropriate for every patient.
How does trauma care work for veterans specifically?
Trauma care for veterans at LACATC is delivered by clinicians who understand military culture, moral injury, and the wall between service members and civilian therapists. VA data shows veterans with PTSD are 2 times more likely to have alcohol problems and 3 times more likely to have drug problems.
Veteran patients process combat trauma inside our veteran addiction treatment in Los Angeles County, alongside peers who served. Recovery is framed as mission completion, not weakness, because asking for backup never was. Moral injury, survivor guilt, and the loss of unit identity all get named and worked directly.
Asking for backup never was weakness.
Is trauma therapy safe during early recovery?
Yes, trauma therapy is safe in early recovery when it is properly sequenced, which is exactly what trauma-informed means. Stabilization and coping skills come first, and deeper processing begins only when you have the tools to handle what surfaces.
Your therapist monitors readiness week by week, adjusting the plan as stability grows. Pushing too fast retraumatizes, and waiting forever abandons, so pacing is a clinical skill we take seriously.
FAQ
Trauma-informed care can support recovery when trauma is part of the clinical picture. Contact LACATC or use the admissions form to ask about assessment, benefits verification, and current availability.