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Briana SampsonLMFT · PMH-C

Specialty

Trauma Therapy in Texas & California

In-person in Argyle, Texas (serving Denton County and the DFW area) and online across Texas and California.

Book a Free ConsultationWhat to Expect
Aerial view of ocean waves breaking along a rocky coastline

From the outside looking in, a person will never know the steps walked by another. That truth is where my drive for working with trauma survivors comes from. Everyone needs a space to work through distressing experiences — and to know they are not doing it alone.

Trauma is not defined by the event; it is defined by what your nervous system carried away from it. Two people can live the same moment and hold it completely differently. If something you lived through still shapes how safe, connected, or at home in yourself you feel, that is worth attending to — no matter how long ago it happened or how "small" you've been told it was.

How does trauma show up in daily life?

Trauma rarely stays in the past. It shows up as hypervigilance — scanning every room, startling easily, never fully relaxing. It shows up as numbness, avoidance, and staying busy so you never have to feel. It shows up in the body: tension, sleep problems, a stomach that keeps score. And it shows up in relationships, as difficulty trusting, people-pleasing, or shutting down when things get close.

These are not personality flaws. They are adaptations — things your system learned to keep you safe. Therapy helps your nervous system learn that the danger has passed.

How I work with trauma

Safety comes first, always. We move at your pace, and you decide what we approach and when. I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based approach that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they lose their present-day charge, and I integrate grounding, parts-informed, and relational work depending on what serves you.

You do not have to retell every detail of what happened to heal from it. And you do not have to have it "together" to start.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as trauma? My experience doesn't feel "bad enough."

Trauma is any experience that overwhelmed your capacity to cope — it is defined by your nervous system's response, not by how the event compares to anyone else's. If something still shapes how you feel, relate, or move through the world, it is valid to bring to therapy. "Not bad enough" is one of the most common — and most untrue — reasons people wait.

Will I have to talk about what happened in detail?

No. You control what you share and when. My approach, including EMDR, does not require narrating your trauma in detail. Safety and stabilization always come before any memory work.

How long does trauma therapy take?

It depends on your history and goals. Single-incident trauma often resolves faster; complex trauma is a longer arc. We set goals together in the first sessions and check progress openly as we go — you will never be left wondering what the plan is.

Can trauma therapy be done online?

Yes. I provide trauma therapy, including EMDR, via secure telehealth for residents of Texas and California, and in person in Argyle, TX. Many clients find doing this work from their own home actually helps them feel safer.

Ready to take the first step?

Your initial phone consultation is free. Share what's going on, ask anything, and see if we're the right fit — no pressure, no commitment.

Book a Free ConsultationOr call (949) 836-7178