Whitney Hartzell (she/her)

PTSD often develops after prolonged or repeated experiences of emotional, relational, or physical harm, not just a single event. I specialize in working with women whose trauma is tied to abusive relationships, chronic stress, and feeling unsafe over time. Using EMDR, CPT, attachment-based, and somatic approaches, I help clients understand their trauma responses and gently retrain their nervous systems so the past no longer runs the present.

Anxiety is not always random or irrational. For many women, it develops from long-term stress, trauma, or emotionally unsafe relationships. I help clients understand the roots of their anxiety, calm an overworked nervous system, and break patterns like hyper-vigilance, people-pleasing, and self-doubt. Using trauma-informed approaches, we focus on lasting relief, not just managing symptoms.

Abuse can be subtle, confusing, and hard to name, especially when it isn’t physical. I specialize in working with women who have experienced emotional, psychological, or relational abuse, including gaslighting and control. With advanced training in domestic violence and trauma, I help clients make sense of what they’ve been through, rebuild self-trust, and heal the impact abuse has on identity, relationships, and safety.

Cognitive Processing Therapy helps untangle the beliefs trauma leaves behind, especially around safety, trust, control, and self-blame. I use CPT with clients who feel stuck in patterns of overthinking, guilt, or harsh self-judgment after trauma or unhealthy relationships. Together, we examine the thoughts that keep you stuck and gently reshape them so your life is guided by clarity and self-trust rather than fear or old survival strategies.

EMDR is one of my primary tools for helping clients heal from trauma that still shows up in daily life. I use EMDR to support women processing relational trauma, abuse, and long-standing patterns rooted in past experiences. With advanced trauma training and extensive experience using EMDR in real-world clinical settings, I guide clients through the process at a pace that feels safe, steady, and empowering, so healing feels possible rather than overwhelming.

Somatic therapy focuses on how trauma and stress live in the body, not just the mind. I use somatic approaches to help clients notice and gently shift patterns like chronic tension, shutdown, or feeling constantly on edge. By working with the nervous system in real time, somatic therapy supports deeper regulation, increased safety, and a stronger sense of connection to yourself, especially for clients who feel stuck talking things through.