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Find a Trauma-Informed Therapist
Finding a professional therapist that's right for you after a murder-suicide loss is important.
We offer Online peer-to-peer Support Groups, not professional therapy.
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Use Psychology Today's Find a Therapist tool to get started.
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Contact us if you're a survivor and would like to speak with a member of our team to get tailored assistance.
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Check out our Resources for more support.
Why Trauma-Informed Therapy Matters
- A trauma-informed therapist is a mental health professional who understands how past trauma shapes a person's behavior, nervous system, and coping techniques.
- The therapist will be aware of how trauma impacts the survivor, not necessarily treating the trauma directly.
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- A trauma-informed therapist will focus on emotional safety, building trust, giving the survivor choice and empowerment, and preventing re-traumatization.
Trauma-Informed Therapy vs. Trauma-Trained Therapy: Specialized Help For Trauma
- A trauma-informed therapist is aware of how trauma impacts their client to avoid re-traumatizing them.
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- A trauma-trained therapist is a specialist who has special education in how to actively treat and resolve trauma using targeted, evidence-based methods.
- Some of these methods are:
- EMDR: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
- CPT: cognitive processing therapy
- PE: prolonged exposure therapy
- TF-CBT: trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
What to Look for in a Therapist
- Make sure you find a credentialed therapist who is either currently professionally licensed as a psychologist, counselor, or social worker or is under supervision of a licensed mental health professional.
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- Not every therapist is going to be the right fit for every person! It is ok if you decide a therapist is not the right fit for you.
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- Look for a therapist who specializes in the appropriate age group (adults, teens, children, or families) or treatment modality for your needs.
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- Therapy standard practice is for the survivor to attend a consultation before beginning formal therapy. This will give the survivor an opportunity to determine if that therapist is a good fit for them.
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- Signs your therapist is a good fit:
- Your goals align with the therapist's treatment plan
- Therapy can be challenging and sometimes uncomfortable, but the survivor should feel safe expressing how they are feeling with their therapist. Trust is key.
Questions to Ask Before Starting Therapy
- Where were you trained?
- Do you have formal suicide intervention training?
- What is your policy on hospitalization?
- Do you have experience working with trauma survivors?
- Have you ever worked with someone who suffered a murder-suicide loss or attempt?
- What is your plan for our treatment?
- What can I expect?
- How long will each session last?
- How often will we meet? (eg. weekly, biweekly, monthly)
- How do you assure that our therapy space will feel safe for me as a survivor?
- Should I expect our sessions to be in-person, online, or hybrid?
- What are the pros and cons of in-person vs virtual?
- What should I expect each session to cost?
- Do you take insurance or reimburse?
Additional Support Beyond Therapy
- Join our Online Support Groups to get peer-to-peer support. This type of support helps survivors feel less alone, process their grief in a safe space, and reduces shame and stigma.
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- Check out our Adult Resources or our Adolescent Resources for other support options.
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