Trauma & Healing Counseling

Support for Healing, Processing, and Moving Forward

Flower growing by a wall, symbolizing growth, healing, and resilience in trauma recovery

Painful or distressing experiences, whether recent or from the past, can stay with us in ways that affect daily life. You may feel stuck in old patterns, weighed down by memories, or overwhelmed by emotions. Even when you’re doing your best, certain reactions or thoughts may feel hard to manage.

You don’t have to navigate this alone. Trauma-informed therapy provides a space to process experiences, explore your emotional responses, and build skills that help you feel steadier, more grounded, and able to move forward.

How Therapy Helps With Trauma & Healing

Therapy may help you:

  • Build grounding and emotional stability before exploring painful or challenging experiences

  • Process difficult memories and emotions in a way and at a pace that works for you

  • Reduce anxiety, emotional reactivity, or triggers connected to past events

  • Shift unhelpful beliefs about yourself or your past

  • Strengthen coping skills and strategies for daily life

  • Support long-term emotional balance and self-understanding

I use trauma-informed care to guide therapy, tailoring approaches to your needs, goals, and pace. This includes evidence-informed methods such as:

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – Supports the brain’s natural ability to process memories and reduce their emotional intensity

  • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) – Identifies patterns between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, helping you develop practical strategies for managing stress and overwhelm

  • DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) – Strengthens emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness skills

What the Impact of Trauma Can Look Like

Trauma can affect people in many ways, and everyone’s experience is unique. You may notice:

  • Feeling on edge, easily startled, or emotionally reactive by reminders of the past

  • Avoiding situations, conversations, or memories that feel overwhelming

  • Feeling numb, disconnected, or “shut down” from your emotions

  • Persistent worry, tension, or difficulty focusing

  • Trouble sleeping or maintaining routines

  • A sense that past experiences continue to shape your present

If any of this resonates, therapy can help you make sense of these reactions, regain a sense of stability, and find ways to feel more grounded in your daily life.

My Approach to Trauma Therapy

My therapeutic style is warm, steady, and collaborative. I create a calm, affirming space to:

  • Move at your pace, honoring your readiness to explore difficult experiences

  • Validate your feelings and help you make sense of challenging memories

  • Build practical tools that support emotional regulation and daily functioning

  • Combine trauma-informed care with evidence-based approaches (EMDR, CBT, DBT) as appropriate to your goals

You guide the process, and together we shape therapy around your needs and goals.

Dr. Erica Stene Winkler, licensed counselor, providing compassionate trauma-informed therapy in Fargo, ND

Who I Support

I specialize in supporting adults who are:

  • Experiencing the effects of trauma or painful life experiences

  • Feeling stuck in patterns connected to past events

  • Managing anxiety, emotional overwhelm, or stress

  • High-achieving adults navigating burnout or self-critical patterns

  • Struggling with negative self-beliefs rooted in past experiences

  • Interested in evidence-based trauma treatment at a pace that feels manageable

Your experiences are valid, and therapy is a place to explore them safely and effectively.

What to Expect in Sessions

Our work together is thoughtful and intentionally paced. In sessions, we may:

  • Begin with grounding, stabilization, and coping skills

  • Explore memories and patterns that feel stuck or distressing

  • Use techniques like EMDR to process experiences and reduce emotional intensity

  • Build skills for emotional regulation and managing triggers

  • Identify ways past experiences influence present reactions

  • Develop practical strategies to navigate life with more clarity and calm

You don’t need to have your experiences fully understood or “organized” before starting. Together we will work to develop a path forward.

Trauma & Healing Counseling in Fargo + Telehealth Across ND & MN

On By Therapy offers in-person trauma counseling in Fargo, ND and secure telehealth sessions for adults across North Dakota and Minnesota. EMDR and trauma-informed therapy can be conducted effectively both in person and online, supporting healing wherever you are.

Reaching out is a powerful first step, and we’ll build on that strength to create space for healing and clarity.

I am currently accepting new clients. Let’s Connect!

If you’re new to therapy or curious about working together, a great way to start is to reach out to schedule a free phone consultation. This helps us explore your goals and determine if we’re a good fit.