What Type of Therapy Helps with Trauma and Hypervigilance?
Living with trauma often means living with a nervous system that’s on high alert. Many people who have been through overwhelming or painful experiences find themselves feeling hypervigilant—constantly scanning for danger, never fully able to rest. This state can show up as anxiety, trouble sleeping, difficulty focusing, or a persistent sense that something bad is about to happen.
If you’ve been wondering what type of therapy actually helps with trauma and hypervigilance, you’re not alone. At Stillpoint Therapy Collective in San Francisco, our therapists specialize in approaches that go beyond talk therapy alone, helping you reconnect with your body, find safety, and ease chronic states of tension.
Somatic Therapy for Trauma and Hypervigilance
Somatic therapy is especially effective for trauma because it works directly with the body. When you’ve been through trauma, your nervous system may stay stuck in fight, flight, or freeze. Somatic approaches help you notice these patterns and gently guide your system toward regulation.
Our San Francisco therapists trained in somatic modalities—such as Hakomi, Somatic Experiencing, and Brainspotting—support clients in building awareness, releasing stored tension, and finding a felt sense of safety.
Hakomi Therapy: Mindfulness and Compassion in Practice
California therapist Kara Sunwell integrates Hakomi therapy with her clients, using mindfulness and curiosity to explore how old survival strategies show up in the present. This approach allows deep healing at a pace that feels safe and grounded.
Brainspotting for Trauma Processing
For clients who feel “stuck” or find it hard to talk about what happened, Ellen Ottman offers Brainspotting. This therapy accesses parts of the brain where trauma is stored, helping you process and release experiences without having to retell them in detail.
Somatic Experiencing: Restoring Balance in the Nervous System
David Delancellotti also offers Somatic Experiencing, a body-based therapy designed to gently complete survival responses that were interrupted during trauma. By working with small, manageable shifts in sensation and awareness, Somatic Experiencing helps reduce hypervigilance and supports your nervous system in finding balance again.
LGBTQIA+ Affirming Trauma Therapy
We also know trauma doesn’t happen in a vacuum. For queer and trans clients, experiences of hypervigilance may come from living in a world that doesn’t always feel safe or affirming. Callista Cox, Bayley Azevedo, and Amy Toig offer LGBTQIA+ affirming trauma therapy, blending somatic practices with a deep respect for identity and lived experience.
Finding the Right Support
Every nervous system is unique, and healing from trauma takes time and the right therapeutic relationship. Whether you’re curious about somatic therapy, Brainspotting, or Hakomi, our team at Stillpoint Therapy Collective is here to support you.
If you’re in San Francisco or anywhere in California and looking for trauma therapy, we invite you to reach out. Together, we can help you move from constant vigilance toward safety, balance, and belonging.
Contact us today to connect with a therapist who’s the right fit for you.