PTSD & Trauma in San Diego, CA
At Thrive Wellness, trauma and PTSD are treated with compassion, precision, and the most evidence-based tools available. Mandy Pfaff, LMFT brings 30 years of clinical experience and advanced training in EMDR, somatic therapy, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy to trauma care that meets patients exactly where they are — without requiring them to relive their experiences in extensive detail. Call (619) 984-4317 or reach Mandy directly at (310) 428-2193 to get started in San Diego, CA .
Book OnlineUnderstanding Trauma and PTSD
Trauma is not defined by what happened — it’s defined by what it did to the nervous system. Events that overwhelm the body’s capacity to process and integrate experience become encoded in the nervous system as unresolved threat responses — perpetually activated, perpetually cycling, perpetually affecting how the person moves through the world. PTSD represents the clinical end of this spectrum: a constellation of intrusive memories, hypervigilance, avoidance, and emotional numbing that significantly impairs functioning and quality of life.
At Thrive Wellness, trauma is treated with this understanding at the center. Mandy Pfaff’s trauma treatment approach prioritizes nervous system stabilization before deep processing work, uses evidence-based bilateral stimulation through EMDR to complete the interrupted processing of traumatic memories, incorporates somatic (body-based) techniques that address the physical dimension of stored trauma, and draws on the full range of her clinical toolkit — including KAP for patients whose trauma hasn’t responded to conventional treatment — to meet each patient’s individual needs and window of tolerance.
For patients whose trauma has created significant physical symptoms — chronic pain, somatic symptoms, autoimmune flares, digestive dysfunction — combining trauma therapy with acupuncture and functional medicine at Thrive Wellness addresses both the psychological and physiological dimensions of the trauma response.
Trauma Conditions We Treat
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from repeated or developmental trauma
- Acute stress response
- Childhood and developmental trauma
- Medical trauma (surgery, diagnosis, hospitalization)
- Grief and traumatic loss
- Sexual and relationship trauma
- Combat and first-responder trauma
- Trauma with somatic/physical symptom expression
How Thrive Wellness Treats PTSD & Trauma
EMDR Therapy: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is the gold standard evidence-based treatment for PTSD, endorsed by the APA, WHO, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It uses bilateral stimulation to access and reprocess traumatic memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge and allows them to be stored as past experiences rather than active threats. At Thrive Wellness, EMDR is delivered within a comprehensive therapeutic framework that includes careful preparation, stabilization, and integration phases — ensuring each patient moves through processing at a pace that feels safe. Learn more on our EMDR Therapy & Counseling page.
Somatic Therapy: Trauma is stored in the body — in the nervous system, the musculature, the breath, and the posture. Somatic techniques at Thrive Wellness address the physical dimension of stored trauma by working with body sensations, movement, and breath to complete the defensive responses that the body initiated during the traumatic event but was unable to finish. This body-based work is a critical complement to cognitive processing for patients with significant somatic symptom expression.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): For patients with treatment-resistant PTSD or complex trauma that has not responded adequately to conventional therapy, KAP offers a breakthrough option. Ketamine’s neuroplastic effects create a window of increased neural flexibility during which trauma processing work can proceed more deeply and rapidly than conventional therapy allows. Mandy Pfaff’s three-year training in psychedelic-facilitated therapies makes her one of the most prepared KAP providers in San Diego, CA .
Acupuncture: Acupuncture’s regulatory effect on the autonomic nervous system makes it a powerful complement to trauma therapy — reducing the sympathetic hyperactivation and hypervigilance that characterize PTSD, supporting parasympathetic recovery, and improving sleep quality that is routinely disrupted by trauma. Learn more on our Acupuncture & Sports Medicine page.
PTSD & Trauma FAQs
Does EMDR therapy require me to talk about my trauma in detail?
No — one of the most important advantages of EMDR is that it does not require detailed verbal recounting of traumatic experiences. The bilateral stimulation process accesses and reprocesses the memory through a structured protocol that works with the nervous system’s natural processing mechanisms rather than requiring the patient to narrate the trauma repeatedly. This makes EMDR accessible for many patients who have found traditional talk therapy difficult or retraumatizing.
What is complex PTSD and how is it different from standard PTSD?
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) results from prolonged, repeated trauma — particularly developmental trauma, chronic childhood abuse or neglect, or long-term relationship trauma. Where standard PTSD typically involves specific traumatic events, C-PTSD involves pervasive impacts on identity, affect regulation, and relational functioning that require a more comprehensive and phased treatment approach. At Thrive Wellness, Mandy Pfaff is specifically trained in complex trauma and applies a carefully sequenced treatment framework that prioritizes stabilization and safety before deeper processing work.
How many EMDR sessions does it take to process trauma?
This varies considerably based on the nature and extent of the trauma, the patient’s current resources and stability, and their nervous system’s capacity for processing. Single-incident traumas in otherwise well-resourced adults sometimes respond in 8–12 sessions. Complex or developmental trauma typically requires a longer course of treatment — often 6–18 months or more. At Thrive Wellness, Mandy Pfaff works at the patient’s pace and readiness, never rushing the process in ways that could compromise safety or outcomes.
Can trauma cause physical symptoms like chronic pain?
Yes — the relationship between trauma and physical health is well-established. The chronic sympathetic nervous system activation of PTSD and unresolved trauma drives systemic inflammation, impairs immune function, disrupts sleep, and contributes directly to chronic pain, digestive dysfunction, autoimmune flares, and cardiovascular risk. At Thrive Wellness, patients with physical symptoms rooted in trauma benefit from combining EMDR therapy with acupuncture and functional medicine to address both the psychological and physiological dimensions simultaneously.
Is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy safe for trauma patients?
KAP is safe when properly administered by a trained provider in a carefully controlled therapeutic context — which is exactly what Mandy Pfaff at Thrive Wellness provides. Preparation sessions establish therapeutic safety and set intentions; the KAP session itself is conducted in a supported, comfortable environment with Mandy present; and integration sessions following the experience consolidate insights and support ongoing healing. KAP is contraindicated in certain medical and psychological conditions, which are assessed during the preparation phase.
Are PTSD and trauma services at Thrive Wellness covered by HSA or FSA?
Acupuncture and functional medicine at Thrive Wellness are covered by HSA and FSA accounts. Mandy Pfaff provides superbills for out-of-network mental health reimbursement. Telehealth sessions are available throughout California. Call (619) 984-4317 or contact Mandy directly at (310) 428-2193 to schedule in San Diego, CA .