Trauma Recovery Therapy for Kids in Eden Prairie, MN
Helping your child heal after trauma often starts with creating a safe space where they feel understood and supported.
If your child’s behavior or emotions have changed after a difficult experience, trauma therapy can help.
When a child experiences trauma, the effects are not always obvious right away. Some kids become anxious or withdrawn, while others act out, struggle at school, or seem constantly on edge. Trauma can change how children see themselves, others, and the world around them.
At Creekside Counseling, we provide trauma recovery therapy for children and teens who have experienced distressing or overwhelming events. Our therapists offer in-person kids trauma therapy in Eden Prairie, MN and virtual therapy across Minnesota, supporting children as they process experiences and begin to feel safer and more regulated again.
Helping Your Child Heal After Trauma
Trauma can come from many experiences, and children may not always have the words to explain what they are feeling.
Trauma recovery therapy may be helpful if your child or teen is experiencing:
Increased anxiety, fear, or hypervigilance
Nightmares, sleep difficulties, or frequent worries
Emotional outbursts, irritability, or withdrawal
Regression in behavior or developmental skills
Difficulty concentrating, trusting others, or feeling safe
Kids trauma recovery therapy focuses on helping children process experiences at a pace that feels manageable and supportive.
Common Types of Trauma in Children
Families often seek a trauma therapist for children when kids have experienced:
Accidents, injuries, or medical trauma
Loss of a loved one or sudden separation
Family conflict, divorce, or instability
Abuse, neglect, or exposure to unsafe situations
Witnessing violence or frightening events
Even experiences adults may see as “small” can feel overwhelming to a child’s nervous system.
What Trauma Therapy Looks Like for Kids
Trauma therapy for children is not about reliving painful memories or pushing kids to talk before they are ready. It is about helping children feel safe enough to process experiences in age-appropriate ways.
Our sessions are:
Child-centered and developmentally appropriate
Focused on safety, trust, and emotional regulation
Designed to help kids express feelings through play, conversation, and creative activities
Parents may be involved as needed to support healing outside of sessions.
Our Approach to Trauma Therapy for Children
Our therapists use evidence-informed, trauma-aware approaches tailored to each child’s needs. This approach supports healing while honoring each child’s unique experience and pace.
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CBT helps children understand how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. In therapy, kids learn to notice negative or self-critical thinking patterns that often show up with depression and practice more balanced, supportive ways of thinking. CBT also helps children build coping skills for managing sadness, low motivation, and emotional overwhelm in everyday situations.
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EMDR can be helpful for kids whose depression is connected to stressful or overwhelming experiences. This approach supports the brain in processing emotional memories that may be keeping sadness, fear, or hopelessness stuck. EMDR for kids is adapted to be age-appropriate and may include movement, drawing, or other child-friendly techniques to help children feel safer and more regulated.
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ART is a gentle, structured therapy that helps children work through distressing memories or emotional experiences without needing to talk through every detail. This can be especially helpful for kids who have trouble putting feelings into words. ART supports emotional relief, improved mood, and a stronger sense of control over thoughts and feelings.
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This approach focuses on building a strong, trusting relationship between your child and their therapist while helping kids identify strengths and small, achievable steps forward. Rather than focusing only on problems, solution-focused therapy helps children notice what is already working and build confidence as they move toward emotional stability and hope.
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Play therapy helps children express and work through anxiety using activities that feel natural and safe, such as play, art, movement, or storytelling. For kids who have difficulty explaining worries with words, play therapy supports emotional regulation, confidence, and coping skills in a developmentally appropriate way.
How Trauma Recovery Therapy Helps Children
Over time, trauma recovery therapy helps children regain confidence and emotional balance.
Through kids trauma therapy, children can learn to:
❋ Reduce anxiety, fear, and stress responsesKids learn skills to calm their nervous systems and feel less reactive to reminders of past experiences.
❋ Understand and regulate strong emotionsTherapy helps children recognize big feelings and learn ways to manage them without becoming overwhelmed.
❋ Improve behavior, sleep, and emotional expressionAs trauma responses decrease, many children experience better sleep, fewer behavioral challenges, and healthier emotional expression.
❋ Rebuild a sense of safety and trustTherapy supports children in feeling safer in their bodies, relationships, and everyday environments.
Our Providers
Elisabeth Emmerich, MA, LPCC, RPT™
Elisabeth helps women navigate anxiety, perfectionism, and the lingering effects of childhood trauma, while also supporting kids and teens through anxiety, trauma and life transitions. As a mom of three, she brings firsthand understanding of the pressures of motherhood to a warm, compassionate, and practical approach that helps clients untangle old patterns and create meaningful change.
Marina Mitcheltree, MA, LPCC
Marina supports children, teens, and families navigating anxiety, behavioral challenges, and life transitions. She specializes in early childhood mental health, child-parent relationships, and play therapy, and is passionate about empowering women and supporting BIPOC communities. As a mom, she brings personal insight into the challenges of parenting while creating a compassionate, practical space for families and individuals to heal and grow.
