Trauma Therapy for Teens in San Jose

These are the internal experiences your teen might be having, even if they can’t or won’t talk about them:

• Flashbacks and intrusive memories: Your teen might suddenly zone out, seem terrified for no apparent reason, or say things like “I can’t stop seeing it” or “It keeps coming back.” These go beyond ordinary bad memories. Your teen experiences the traumatic event as if it’s happening again right now.
• Nightmares that wake them up multiple times a night: The nightmares might be directly about what happened, or symbolically related (being chased, trapped, unable to move). Sleep becomes something they dread.
• Dissociation and “spacing out.”: You might notice them staring into space for extended periods, having memory gaps about recent events, or seeming disconnected from what’s happening around them. Some teens describe it as “feeling like I’m watching myself from outside my body” or “nothing feels real.”
• Intense fear responses that seem out of proportion: A door slamming makes them jump and shake. Certain sounds, smells, or situations trigger panic reactions. They might refuse to go places they used to enjoy without being able to explain why.

Emotional numbness: Instead of crying or expressing sadness, your teen might seem emotionally flat. They might say they “don’t feel anything anymore” or that they “can’t care about anything.”

These are the outward changes you can observe in how your teen acts and interacts:

• Extreme avoidance of trauma reminders. They refuse to drive after a car accident. They won’t talk about a person who hurt them. They avoid entire locations, activities, or social situations that could trigger memories. This goes beyond normal preferences; it’s driven by intense fear or discomfort.
• Dramatic withdrawal from friends and activities they once loved. This isn’t teenage moodiness. Your previously social teen stops responding to friends completely. The athlete who loved their sport suddenly refuses to go to practice. They isolate themselves in ways that seem extreme and persistent.
• Hypervigilance and constant scanning for danger. They always need to sit with their back to the wall. They check locks multiple times. They startle easily and seem unable to relax, even at home. This “on guard” state is exhausting and makes it hard for them to focus on anything else.
• Regressive behaviors inappropriate for their age. A 15-year-old suddenly wants to sleep in your room again. They use baby talk or become excessively clingy. They might have accidents or struggle with tasks they’ve mastered for years. This regression happens because trauma makes teens feel unsafe and overwhelmed.
• Risky or self-destructive behaviors. Some teens respond to trauma by taking dangerous risks, engaging in self-harm, or seeking situations that reenact the trauma. This isn’t “acting out.” It’s their way of trying to process or control what feels uncontrollable.

Reenacting trauma through play, art, or conversation. Younger teens especially might draw violent scenes repeatedly, play out traumatic scenarios with toys, or bring up the traumatic event (or themes related to it) obsessively in conversation.

Trauma lives in the body, not just the mind. Your teen might experience:

• Physical reactions to trauma reminders. When something reminds them of what happened, they might suddenly feel nauseated, get a headache, start shaking, or experience rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing. These aren’t “all in their head.” They’re real physical responses.
• Chronic pain, stomachaches, or headaches with no clear medical cause. Doctors might run tests and find nothing wrong, but your teen is genuinely experiencing pain. Trauma can manifest as physical symptoms, especially when emotional expression feels unsafe.
• Changes in eating patterns. Some teens lose their appetite entirely or feel nauseated around meals. Others eat compulsively to cope with difficult emotions. Either extreme, especially if sudden and persistent, can be trauma-related.
• Sleep disturbances beyond occasional bad nights. Difficulty falling asleep because they’re afraid to be vulnerable. Waking repeatedly in terror. Sleeping too much as a way to escape. Sleep becomes either impossible or the only place they feel safe.
• If you recognize three or more of these signs in your teen, specialized therapy can help. These responses aren’t character flaws or choices. They’re how the brain and body react to overwhelming experiences. With support, these symptoms can significantly improve.