Trauma and PTSD therapists in Dixon, Illinois IL
Find experienced trauma and PTSD therapists in Dixon who provide testing, evidence-based treatment for trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and related challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Compare detailed therapist profiles and connect with a provider that’s right for you.
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PTSD/Trauma
Best Therapies, Inc.
Therapist
There are three main types of trauma: Acute, Chronic, or Complex. Acute trauma results from a single incident. Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged such as domestic violence or abuse. Complex trauma is exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature. Sometimes people experience post traumatic responses to adverse childhood experiences, a single event or living as marginalized identities in our society. That is, some people experience trauma response by dealing with recurring microaggressions, discrimination, bullying from individuals, communities and macro aggressions such as systemic oppression. We need to consider the impact traumatic experiences have on our mind, body and overall experience as a human navigating uncertain and challenging times.
7 Years Experience
Online in Dixon, IL Illinois
PTSD/Trauma
Shannon Gorres
Life Coach, MDiv, MA
My understanding of trauma has shifted along with international research on why some events create lasting challenging effects for some people but not for others. Our collective awareness has gone from thinking, “What's wrong with you?” to asking, “What happened to you?” and now focusing on, “Who was there for you?”
A simple retelling of a traumatic experience does not always deeply heal the one who suffers. While it can feel good to be truly heard, especially for those who have never told it before and need real empathy, repeatedly telling the story does not often change the subconscious beliefs implanted during the trauma or the nervous system’s reactivity.
Instead, we build a new relationship with a traumatic experience by re-approaching the memory and inviting a shift. Often the shift is around “Who could have been there for you.” While in factual reality, no one may have stopped the trauma, we can access another perspective that enables our bodies, hearts, and minds to feel supported. We can do this many ways: through role play, through calling in ancestors or pop stars or our highest selves, or by letting our wise adult-self take over the situation. Or we may use drawing materials or nature to discover a new part of the experience we didn’t realize before.
I've taken many trainings in the origins and effects of trauma and PTSD, and I find working with the nervous system and imaginal realm (creative liminal space) highly effective. I'm not a licensed mental health therapist; I'm a spiritual life coach, so my work is integrative. I offer: calm spaciousness & empathy as you talk, embodied processing options (drawing, clay work, self soothing), and inner parts work (mediated inner dialogue or a “committee of voices,” similar to Soulwork or Internal Family Systems).
Then we make a plan to implement the new shift into everyday life.
11 Years Experience
Online in Dixon, IL Illinois
PTSD/Trauma
Sue De Santo
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
I work with individuals carrying the weight of past trauma, painful relationships, and experiences that still live in the body as anxiety, numbness, or feeling constantly on guard. I bring compassion and relief to the places that feel stuck or overwhelmed. . My goal is to offer a steady, caring space where you don’t have to do it alone and where healing becomes possible not just in your mind, but in your body and relationships too.
35 Years Experience
Online in Dixon, IL Illinois (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Merrisa Dawn Santos
Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC, NCC, CCTMHP, CCTP
In assisting patients struggling with trauma and PTSD, I offer a compassionate and supportive environment to explore their experiences. Through therapy, we address the impact of trauma on their emotions, behaviors, and relationships. I provide education about trauma responses and coping mechanisms, helping them develop strategies to manage symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and hypervigilance. Together, we work towards processing and integrating their traumatic experiences, fostering healing, resilience, and a sense of empowerment. Ongoing support and therapy aim to facilitate their journey towards recovery and improved well-being.
5 Years Experience
Online in Dixon, IL Illinois (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Gemstone Wellness, Inc.
Psychologist, PsyD, LCPC, LCSW, LPC
At Gemstone Wellness, trauma is understood not as something that simply “happened in the past,” but as something that continues to live in the body, the nervous system, and the way you move through the world. We approach trauma with the recognition that your responses—whether anxiety, numbness, hypervigilance, or shutdown—are not dysfunctions, but adaptive strategies your system developed to survive.
Our work is deeply trauma-informed and grounded in nervous system regulation. Rather than pushing you to revisit painful experiences before you’re ready, we prioritize safety, trust, and pacing. Therapy begins with building a relationship where you feel genuinely seen and supported, allowing your system to settle enough for deeper work to unfold. From there, we gently help you process what you’ve been carrying so it no longer holds the same intensity or control over your present life.
We integrate approaches such as Trauma Focused CBT and relational, insight-oriented therapy to support healing without re-traumatization. The goal is not to erase your past, but to help you relate to it differently—so memories can be held without overwhelming your body, and triggers no longer dictate your reactions.
Throughout this process, therapy remains collaborative and attuned. You are never rushed, pushed, or expected to move faster than your system allows. Over time, many clients begin to feel a shift: less reactivity, more presence, a greater sense of safety in their body, and a reconnection to themselves and others.
Trauma therapy at Gemstone Wellness is not about forcing change—it is about creating the conditions where healing can happen naturally, at a pace that honors what you’ve been through.
10 Years Experience
Online in Dixon, IL Illinois
Trauma and PTSD therapists in Dixon, Illinois Statistics
Trauma and PTSD therapists in Dixon, Illinois average 16 years of experience and charge around $203 per session. 100% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (74%), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) (39%), and Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) (36%).
Average years in practice
16 Years Experience
Average cost per session
$203
Accept insurance
48%
Offer sliding scale
36%
Gender ID
| 64% |
Female |
|
| 29% |
Male |
|
| 4% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 3% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 57% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 43% |
Online Only |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 74% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 39% | Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) |
| 36% | Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) |
| 34% | Psychodynamic Therapy |
| 30% | Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) |
| 28% | Behavioral Therapy |
| 28% | Existential / Humanistic Therapy |
Ages Served
| 100% | Adult |
| 68% | Young Adult |
| 53% | Senior |
| 45% | Teen |
| 20% | Children |
Client Focus
| 56% | Women |
| 45% | LGBTQ+ |
| 39% | Men |
| 28% | Military / Veterans |
| 25% | Black / African American |