Trauma Therapy in MA & UT

For when the past still shapes the present.

Trauma doesn't always look like what people expect. Often it looks like a life that works on the outside, built around a nervous system that never fully stood down: staying on guard in relationships, reacting more strongly than the moment calls for, or feeling most at ease when you're busy.

Trauma therapy helps you understand how those patterns formed, what they protected you from, and what you need now, in this season of life.

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See how we work

What you might be carrying

  • Early childhood or developmental trauma

  • Complex trauma from repeated or long-term experiences

  • PTSD after a specific event

  • A sense that something happened that shaped you, even if you're not sure it "counts"

  • Old patterns that show up in relationships, work, or how you treat yourself

  • Anxiety, low mood, or drinking that sits on top of something older

You don’t need a diagnosis, or a clear story, to begin.

How we work with trauma

Our approach follows a principle at the heart of modern trauma treatment: recovery happens in phases, and it happens in relationship.

  • Safety and stability first. Before anything else, we build steadiness in your body, your days, and our work together.

  • Processing, when you're ready. If and when it's useful, we work with difficult memories directly, at a pace you set.

  • Reconnection. Over time, the focus shifts to how you want to live, relate, and move forward.

You stay in control throughout. Nothing is rushed, and nothing is forced.

Approaches we draw on

  • Psychodynamic therapy

  • Trauma reprocessing

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Narrative therapy

  • Trauma-sensitive yoga, for a body-based path to regulation

Who you’ll work with

Julia Schechter, MSW, LICSW

Owner, Psychotherapist

Julia trained at the Cambridge Health Alliance Victims of Violence Program under Dr. Judith Herman, whose work helped define how the field understands and treats complex trauma. She has more than 16 years of experience in trauma-informed care, with clinical roles at McLean Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Cambridge Health Alliance, and teaches advanced clinical practice at Simmons University and Boston College Schools of Social Work. She is also a trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, integrating body-based work for clients who want it. Telehealth in Massachusetts and Utah

Kacey Malz, MSW, LCSW

Kacey uses Internal Family Systems and narrative therapy to help clients make sense of the parts of themselves that developed to cope, and to rewrite the stories they've been living inside. Telehealth and evening in-person sessions in Brookline.

Psychotherapist

Telehealth and in-person

  • Telehealth for adults anywhere in Massachusetts (Julia is also licensed in Utah)

  • Evening in-person sessions in Brookline with Kacey

Fees and Insurance

  • We are out-of-network. We provide SuperBills you can submit for possible reimbursement, and accept HSA/FSA cards.

FAQ

  • It's a way of working that recognizes how overwhelming experiences shape present-day reactions, and that puts safety, choice, and collaboration at the center of treatment. You don't need to identify with the word "trauma" to benefit.

  • No. Many people spend the early part of therapy building stability and understanding patterns in the present. Whether, when, and how much to talk about specific memories is your decision.

  • That's common, especially with early or ongoing experiences. We work with what's affecting you now. You don't need a complete memory or a clear story to benefit.

  • PTSD often follows a specific event. Complex trauma usually develops from repeated or prolonged experiences, often in childhood or within relationships, and tends to shape how people see themselves and relate to others. Treatment approaches overlap but aren't identical, and we tailor the work to you.

  • Trauma work can stir things up, which is why we build stability first and pace the work carefully. If something feels like too much, we slow down. Feeling in control of the process is part of the treatment.

  • It varies. Some people come for a focused period to address a specific experience. Complex or early trauma usually benefits from longer-term work. We check in regularly about how it's going.

  • We do not offer an after-hours on-call crisis service. If you're in danger, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Request a free intro call