Family Therapy for Trauma: Healing After Life’s Hardest Moments

Has Trauma Shaken Your Family? I understand the heartache and confusion you're feeling. One moment, everything in your family was moving along, and then, suddenly, it happened—something devastating that turned your world upside down. The pain, the chaos, the fear of not knowing how to heal or where to turn next. You might be asking yourself, Will things ever feel normal again? Can we ever heal from this? How do we find a new way forward without being broken by this experience?

As a parent, it’s hard to bear the weight of trauma. Your children may be retreating into themselves, feeling confused and fearful, while you feel overwhelmed with the emotional burden. It can feel like you're drowning in your own grief, all while trying to hold everything together for your family. I know it seems impossible, but I want you to know—you don’t have to go through this alone.

Why Family Therapy for Trauma Is Crucial

Trauma Affects Every Member of Your Family—But Healing Can Happen Together. When trauma enters a family, it doesn’t just affect one person—it changes the dynamics for everyone. Children may struggle to express their emotions. You may find yourself lost in your thoughts, unable to move past the overwhelming stress. The family feels fragmented, like no one is on the same page anymore.

But this doesn't have to be your new normal. Through trauma-informed family therapy, we can work together to process the pain, rebuild trust, and heal the wounds that have left your family feeling broken. Family therapy allows you to face trauma head-on and heal as a united front—together.

Healing Through Brain Science: A Unique Approach to Family Therapy

Understanding the Brain’s Role in Trauma RecoveryTrauma doesn’t just affect your emotions—it affects the brain. The brain's natural responses to trauma can create deep-seated patterns of fear, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation that are difficult to break. That’s why traditional therapy might not always feel enough.

I take a brain science-based approach to healing, using the power of primitive reflex integration to help your family’s brain “rewire” and heal. Primitive reflexes are the automatic responses our bodies have to stress or trauma. When these reflexes remain active due to unresolved trauma, they can affect emotional and physical regulation. By integrating these reflexes, we help the brain process and release the trapped energy, creating a calmer, more balanced state.

Through brain balancing techniques and trauma-focused therapies, we will address the root of your family’s struggles, easing emotional pain, reducing stress, and restoring connection. You’ll not only process the trauma, but also rebuild your brain’s ability to cope, communicate, and thrive.

What You Can Expect from Family Therapy After Trauma

Compassionate, Family-Centered Support.

I believe in healing together. My approach creates a safe and supportive environment for each family member to share their thoughts and emotions. We will work as a team to unpack how trauma has affected everyone, focusing on healing every relationship in your family.

Brain Science-Based Techniques for Lasting Change.

 By utilizing primitive reflex integration and other neuroplasticity techniques, we will work on rewiring your family’s responses to stress, fear, and grief. This scientifically backed method helps your brain recover, re-balance, and feel calm again.

Building Positive Communication Skills.

Communication can be one of the hardest things to navigate during trauma. I will teach your family effective communication strategies, so everyone can express themselves in a healthy, constructive way. Through activities and assignments, we will work on building empathy and deepening your connection with one another.

A Plan for Ongoing Support.

Healing from trauma takes time, and I want your family to feel supported long after our sessions end. Together, we will create a roadmap for continued healing, ensuring that you have the tools to handle life’s challenges with confidence and strength.

You Deserve Healing. Your Family Deserves Peace.

Contact Abby

Ready to Start the Healing Journey?

I know it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. But I want you to know—there is hope. Your family can heal. With the right support and tools, you can move past this pain and build a stronger, more connected family.

Take the First Step Today with a Free 60-Minute, phone Consultation.

Let’s talk about how we can work together to heal your family. I’m offering a free 60-minute, phone consultation, where we can discuss your unique situation, how trauma has impacted your family, and how family therapy can help you find the healing you deserve.

Call me at (626) 755-4059 to schedule.

I offer online family therapy throughout California, so no matter where you are, I’m here to help.

Rebuild Your Family’s Strength and Connection—Healing Starts Now.

You don’t have to let trauma define your family. Together, we can overcome the pain, restore your bond, and create a future filled with hope, resilience, and understanding. Take that first step now, and let’s begin the healing journey together.

My motto: I help parents become the healers in the home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Trauma Therapy

What is family trauma, and how does it affect parents and children?

Family trauma happens when something deeply stressful or overwhelming shakes the foundation of your family—whether it’s a sudden loss, adoption-related struggles, or ongoing stress. It doesn’t just affect one person; it affects the way your whole family connects and functions. Kids might become anxious, withdrawn, or act out in ways that don’t make sense. Parents often feel exhausted, frustrated, or unsure how to help. The good news? Healing is possible, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.

How does trauma-informed therapy help families heal?

Trauma doesn’t just live in our thoughts—it’s stored in the body and the nervous system. That’s why just talking about it isn’t always enough. Trauma-informed therapy helps both kids and parents understand what’s happening beneath the surface and teaches practical strategies to regulate emotions, rebuild trust, and strengthen family bonds. When you start seeing behavior as a signal rather than a problem, everything changes.

What is polyvagal theory, and why does it matter?

Polyvagal theory explains how the nervous system controls our ability to feel safe, connected, or stuck in survival mode. When kids have been through trauma, their nervous system can get stuck in a state of high-alert (anxious, angry, overwhelmed) or shut down (numb, withdrawn, checked out). I help parents recognize these patterns and use simple, effective strategies—like rhythm, movement, and co-regulation—to help their child feel safe again.

How does cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) fit into trauma work?

CBT helps families recognize and shift unhelpful thought patterns, but trauma is more than just thoughts—it’s deeply wired into the nervous system. That’s why I combine CBT with body-based and relational healing approaches. This helps kids and parents not only reframe their thinking but also develop practical tools to calm stress responses and build emotional resilience.

What is interpersonal neuroscience, and how does it shape therapy?

Interpersonal neuroscience (IPNB) shows that relationships literally shape the brain. When a child experiences trauma, it impacts their ability to trust, regulate emotions, and feel safe with others. But the brain is adaptable. When we focus on strengthening parent-child connection, emotional attunement, and secure attachment, we help rewire the brain for safety and connection—creating long-term change instead of quick fixes.

How is your approach different from traditional therapy?

A lot of traditional therapy focuses on managing behaviors, but trauma responses aren’t just “bad behavior”—they’re survival strategies. Instead of focusing on punishment or compliance, I help parents understand what’s driving their child’s reactions and give them tools to co-regulate, reconnect, and guide their child back to emotional safety. My approach isn’t just about making things quieter at home—it’s about real, lasting healing.

What Others Are Saying

Abigail facilitates the transformation of families with her magic brush of knowledge, experiences, resources, and compassion. Her integration of Occupational Therapy, Family Therapy, System-approaches is so masterful and hard to find. Years of experience speak volumes, and then you add professionalism, relatability and passion for change you have a therapist like S. Abigail McCarrel from Welcome Home Family Therapy. Why go anywhere else? This is a one-stop for online therapy that will help you through family trauma, child-parent conflict and/or any other parenting need.

Carla MichelleDr. Carla Inc.,Professional Coaching & Consulting.

Yi Zhao Martins, LMFT, Couples Therapist, Mediator, Reunification Therapist, Published Author