Trauma Therapy in Fort Worth, TX

Heal your past, Reclaim your present, Build your future

Healing Begins Here - Trauma Therapy in Fort Worth, TX

Welcome to Neuro Nuance Therapy and EMDR. If you’ve been considering beginning therapy or looking for a trauma therapist in Fort Worth, let me commend you on taking this first step toward reclaiming your life. Many people struggle to find lasting healing after surviving through past trauma and stress. It can leave you feeling like you’re stuck in quicksand. Trying to move on, reaching for the future, but the past keeps intruding and pulling you back.

Whether you're struggling with the effects of a traumatic event, managing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or facing the challenges of complex trauma, as an experienced trauma specialist I'm here to guide you through the healing process. I specialize in helping individuals heal from painful past experiences and reclaim their lives. I strive to create a safe, supportive environment where your unique needs are met with compassion, understanding, and evidence-based care.

Alex Penrod, MS, LPC, LCDC

Owner and Therapist

Welcome, allow me to introduce myself. I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC), and a person in long-term recovery with 10 years of experience working in the behavioral health treatment field.

As a trauma therapist, I'm trained in a range of therapeutic approaches to provide personalized, effective trauma treatment. I specialize in the following evidence-based treatments:

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy)

  • Internal Family Systems Informed Therapy (IFS)

  • Ego State Therapy

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

Using a collaborative and integrative approach, I can help you process trauma, regulate your nervous system, improve your self-esteem, and build coping mechanisms to enhance your quality of life.

I offer individual trauma therapy online through secure telehealth virtual sessions.

I welcome new clients from all walks of life including adults, young adults, and college students. I work closely with medical professionals and wellness centers to ensure you receive integrated, whole-person care.

To learn more about how I can help you find lasting healing, continue scrolling or schedule your free 15-minute consultation with me. I’d love to learn more about your goals and answer any questions you may have.

What is Trauma?

  • Trauma can be defined as an event, experience, or time period that causes severe stress exceeding a person's resources and ability to cope.

    After experiencing trauma, some people recover naturally while others develop symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Traumatic Experiences Involve a Wide Range of Issues

Trauma can take many forms, I'm here to support you in healing from:

  • Single event trauma (e.g., surviving through a natural disaster, car accident, or severely distressing event)

  • Developmental trauma (e.g., childhood trauma and childhood abuse)

  • Complex trauma (e.g., prolonged or repeated periods of severe stress where escape was difficult or impossible)

  • Sexual abuse and sexual assault

  • Substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders

  • Panic attacks, social anxiety, anger management, low self-esteem, and self-worth

  • Dissociative disorders

  • Difficulties with life transitions, grief, and relationship issues

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your emotional response to past traumas, struggling with physical health symptoms tied to stress, or coping with PTSD symptoms, as a trauma counselor I'm here to help.

Living with the Impacts of Trauma Can be Debilitating

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Intrusion Symptoms

  • Involuntary and recurrent distressing memories resurfacing

  • Disturbing dreams or nightmares

  • Flashbacks as if the experience was occurring again

  • Intense emotional and physical reactions to reminders of the trauma

Avoidance Symptoms

  • Significant efforts to avoid internal reminders of the trauma like thoughts, feelings, or memories

  • Avoiding people, places, and things that are now associated with the trauma

Negative Alterations in Thoughts and Mood

  • Persistent feelings of shame, blame, fear, or anger

  • Difficulty feeling positive emotions

  • Feeling either intensely or numb with little space in between

  • Developing negative beliefs about yourself, others, and the world

  • Losing interest in activities once enjoyed

  • Experiencing memory issues

  • Feeling detached from others

  • Having difficulty maintaining relationships

Heightened Physical and Emotional Reactivity

  • Feeling “jumpy” and easily startled

  • Staying on guard and alert to danger (hypervigilance)

  • Engaging in risky or impulsive behavior

  • Feeling irritable with angry or aggressive outbursts or behavior

  • Having difficulty concentrating

  • Sleep disturbance

Depersonalization

  • Feeling detached from your own mind or body as if an outside observer or in a dream

Derealization

  • Feeling as if your surroundings aren’t real (distant, distorted, dreamlike)

There is Light at the End of the Tunnel

What is EMDR?

  • EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. Originally developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro.

    EMDR is endorsed as a first line therapy for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense, the American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization.

  • Unlike traditional talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation such as eye movements, tapping, or tones, to aid in the reprocessing of traumatic memories.

    This process allows the brain to access and integrate sensory, emotional, cognitive, and somatic body sensations of trauma in a way that reduces the intensity and stores the disturbing memories in a more neutral state. Click to learn more about the neuroscience behind EMDR.

  • EMDR has been heavily researched with high success rates for single and multi-event PTSD, and emerging evidence for Complex-PTSD (C-PTSD).

    Studies have shown between 84-90% of single event trauma survivors and 77% of multi-event trauma survivors no longer had PTSD after 3 - 6 sessions.

    For complex trauma, C-PTSD, the process requires longer treatment. Studies show EMDR is still effective after around 12 sessions.

  • During an EMDR session, I work with you to identify specific traumatic memories or distressing experiences. As you notice these memories, I will guide you through bilateral stimulation exercises, helping your brain to reprocess the memory.

Strategies and Goals for Healing

My first priority is to create a safe environment and work to build a trusting relationship with you. As this develops we’ll create a custom treatment plan based on your specific needs, strengths, and goals. No two healing journeys are the same and trauma recovery shouldn’t be a cookie cutter experience.

Whether you’re working toward personal growth, building self-esteem, or just trying to gain stability in daily life, I’ll meet you where you are and focus on what’s most important to you regarding your progress. By incorporating multiple treatment options, I can tailor therapy to your individual needs. In general, trauma-focused therapy aims to produce the following benefits:

Reduction of PTSD and Mental Health Symptoms

  • EMDR therapy has been shown to reduce PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms.

  • A high percentage of individuals no longer meet criteria for a PTSD diagnosis after EMDR.

  • One study from the National Institute of Mental Health found 8 sessions of EMDR was superior to fluoxetine (antidepressant) for depression.

Healing Your Past

  • By targeting and reprocessing the past experiences underlying current symptoms of trauma, energy and resources are freed up to move from surviving to thriving.

Reclaiming Your Present

  • By coming to understand the effects of trauma on the brain and nervous system, learning coping skills, and targeting present triggers with EMDR, the present moment can shift from a place of fear and dread to the zone of creativity, motivation, and action toward your goals.

Building Your Future

  • Post-traumatic growth goes beyond simply returning to the previous state before the trauma, it’s marked by shifts and transformations in mental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual growth, opening up new ways of experiencing life.

  • After healing the past, many people find they are able to reconnect with their passions, zero in on new directions in life, and build relationships that feel stable and rewarding.

  • Empowering you to capture this natural momentum and helping you direct it toward your goals is one of my favorite parts of therapy.

Take the First Step Toward Healing

  • You don't have to face your trauma alone. As a trauma specialist I'd be honored to support you. I know how difficult it can be to reach out, but sometimes it's those difficult decisions that bring the most positive change to your life.

You Deserve Healing

3 Step Plan

  • Man booking a consultation on laptop computer with a trauma therapist in Fort Worth, TX

    Book Your Free 15-Minute Consultation

    Follow the link below to use my calendar and choose a time that’s right for you.

  • Woman waving to her laptop screen as she meets her therapist to discuss healing her past, reclaiming her present, and building her present

    Together we assess your needs and determine a plan of action

    A consultation allows you to explore if therapy with me is right for you with no commitment or obligation.

  • 4 friends embracing as the reflect on their journey of healing

    Begin healing your past, reclaiming your present, and building your future

    After consultation, beginning therapy is as easy as scheduling your first session.

  • Yes, EMDR therapy can be successfully conducted online through secure video sessions. The process can be adapted for teletherapy, utilizing visual cues, auditory tones, or tapping for bilateral stimulation. This flexibility allows you to receive treatment from the comfort and safety of your home.

  • I only offer online services in Houston at this time.

  • I have several ways you can use your insurance.

    I'm in network with Aetna and offer a convenient hassle free way to handle your claims through a company called Headway.

    For all other insurance carriers, if you've met your deductible for the year you could get automatic reimbursement and only pay for a portion of your sessions by using a company called Thrizer to process out of network claims. If you haven't met your deductible, we can submit superbills to Thrizer to apply toward meeting it.

    I can assist you with your options in a free 15-minute consultation or visit my services page for links to explore these options for yourself.

  • I charge $150 for 60-minute sessions and $225 for 90-minutes sessions.

  • See my frequently asked questions page for more questions and answers or schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me. I'd be happy to help!