Trauma is a behavioral health condition that results from experiencing or witnessing distressing events. Treatment is available at the San Diego Transformation Center in San Diego, California. We offer structured outpatient programs using evidence-informed therapies to help individuals process traumatic experiences and build skills for long-term recovery.
Trauma is a psychological and emotional response to distressing or life-threatening events that exceed a person's ability to integrate the experience. Trauma can result from single incidents like accidents or assaults. It can also develop from ongoing circumstances such as childhood adversity, domestic violence, or prolonged stress.
When trauma is not processed, it can lead to persistent symptoms including intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, and changes in mood or functioning.
Trauma often co-occurs with other mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, which is why San Diego Transformation Center offers integrated care across multiple levels of outpatient programming.
Treatment planning involves psychiatric evaluation to clarify symptom patterns, assess safety, and develop individualized care approaches that may include psychotherapy, medication management, and structured programming.
Trauma can manifest differently in each person, and symptoms may develop immediately after an event or emerge months or years later. Common signs and symptoms include:
When these symptoms persist and interfere with daily functioning, structured treatment can help address the underlying trauma and support recovery.
rauma affects individuals across all communities in San Diego. The neighborhoods most impacted include La Jolla, UTC, Mission Valley, Pacific Beach, North Park, and surrounding areas.
The effects of trauma are far-reaching and can disrupt:
Many people in San Diego managing trauma also face challenges related to substance use, which often develops as a coping mechanism for distressing trauma symptoms. This co-occurrence of conditions requires specialized treatment.
San Diego Transformation Center addresses these co-occurring conditions through integrated programming that treats both trauma and substance use within the same continuum of care, rather than addressing them separately.
Flexible outpatient scheduling allows individuals to receive structured trauma treatment without disrupting their daily responsibilities. Treatment options include:
This scheduling flexibility enables individuals in San Diego to maintain employment, family responsibilities, and community connections while receiving high-quality trauma treatment.
San Diego Transformation Center uses evidence-informed therapies, integrated into structured outpatient programs, tailored to each person’s level of support. Treatment is individualized based on clinical assessment, symptom severity, co-occurring conditions, and personal goals.
EMDR is a trauma-focused therapy that uses bilateral stimulation alongside structured processing of distressing memories and beliefs. EMDR is used for single-incident and complex trauma within an individualized treatment plan, and it follows structured phases designed to promote safety and reduce symptom distress.
CBT and CPT are structured approaches that help identify and modify unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors tied to traumatic experiences. These therapies focus on changing patterns of thinking that maintain distress and avoidance.
DBT is a skills-based treatment that teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. DBT is often used when trauma co-occurs with emotional dysregulation or difficulty managing intense feelings.
PE is a trauma-focused therapy that uses graduated, supported exposure to trauma memories and avoided situations to reduce avoidance and distress. This approach helps individuals confront feared memories and situations in a safe, controlled manner.
IFS is a parts-based approach that helps people relate differently to internal parts shaped by trauma. This therapy fosters self-leadership and integration by healing wounded parts.
Daytime programming five days weekly offering hospital-level intensity, structured therapy blocks, and medical oversight without overnight stay.
Multiple weekly sessions provide structured support while maintaining daily responsibilities for those needing more than outpatient therapy alone.
Weekly or biweekly therapy with flexible scheduling for stable individuals managing daily responsibilities who need ongoing support.
Medically supervised outpatient detox with clinical oversight and medication management, integrated with behavioral treatment for appropriate substance use cases.
Treatment at San Diego Transformation Center follows a structured process that provides safety, clarity, and individualized support at every stage.
Clinical evaluation assesses trauma history, symptoms, co-occurring conditions, and goals to determine the appropriate level of care and therapy approach.
Your collaborative treatment plan includes specific therapies, session frequency, safety planning, and goals. Plans are reviewed and adjusted regularly based on progress.
Treatment includes individual therapy, skill-building groups, and medical coordination when needed. Clinicians prioritize pacing and stabilization to prevent retraumatization.
Aftercare planning ensures continuity through step-down care, community resources, or ongoing therapy to support long-term recovery and prevent relapse.
San Diego Transformation Center offers structured, evidence-informed outpatient trauma treatment across multiple levels of care, using therapies such as EMDR, CBT, CPT, DBT, PE, and IFS. Our programs are designed to support individuals navigating mental health and substance use challenges while maintaining daily responsibilities.
Treatment Features
Scheduling & Access
Treatment is guided by clinical assessment, individual goals, and a commitment to reducing uncertainty and supporting informed decision-making at every step.
San Diego Transformation Center serves individuals throughout San Diego County and the surrounding areas, including:
We use evidence-informed therapies including EMDR, CBT, and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Therapy selection depends on clinical assessment, individual preferences, and co-occurring conditions, and therapies are integrated into individualized care plans delivered in OP, IOP, or PHP settings as clinically indicated.
EMDR is considered an evidence-informed, trauma-focused intervention and is included among therapies recommended by major clinical guidelines for PTSD. Clinical evidence supports its use for many people, though response varies by individual factors and the complexity of trauma.
EMDR sessions typically involve assessment and history-taking, stabilization and skill-building, trauma target selection, bilateral stimulation during desensitization, installation of adaptive beliefs, and a body scan and closure. Sessions are paced for safety, and clinicians provide grounding and coping strategies to manage distress between sessions.
The number of sessions varies widely depending on the type and complexity of trauma, presence of co-occurring conditions, level of functioning, and frequency of sessions. Some people find significant relief in a handful of sessions for specific memories, while complex trauma or co-occurring conditions often require months of treatment.
Yes, we offer Outpatient (OP), Intensive Outpatient (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), and ambulatory detox. OP involves weekly or biweekly sessions and is the least intensive. IOP offers multiple sessions per week, including group and individual therapy, while allowing many daily responsibilities to continue. PHP delivers day-level structure and clinical oversight, often several days per week, for those needing more intensive support. Ambulatory detox is an outpatient medical pathway for certain substance use needs. Movement between levels is possible based on clinical need.
Therapy can evoke strong emotions as part of healing, and clinicians work to minimize risk with stabilization, pacing, safety planning, and informed consent. If you have high acute risk or instability, higher levels of care, such as PHP, provide more frequent monitoring and coordination with medical support.
We verify insurance benefits and accept many plans. We also provide out-of-network superbills when applicable. Costs depend on the level of care, clinician type, session length, and any required medical oversight. A benefits check with our intake team gives the most accurate cost picture for your situation.
EMDR can be delivered via telehealth when clinically appropriate and when safe conditions for remote therapy are met. We provide services in La Jolla UTC and Mission Valley. Specific availability for in-person or virtual sessions varies, so contact our intake team to confirm current schedules and options.
Women-only groups are offered when scheduled and clinically appropriate, and availability changes over time. We have clinicians with experience working with active-duty military, veterans, and first responders, and we can tailor care to occupational needs and cultures. Please contact our intake team to discuss current offerings.
Wait times vary by program and demand. We prioritize urgent clinical needs and try to accommodate scheduling constraints. Evening and weekend tracks are available through our flexible scheduling. Contact the intake team for current wait time estimates and appointment options.
Speak with our intake team to verify your insurance, discuss your clinical needs, and identify the most appropriate outpatient trauma treatment program. Contact San Diego Transformation Center to learn about current availability for EMDR, IOP, PHP, and telehealth options, and to schedule in La Jolla UTC and Mission Valley.
