Trauma-Based Therapy | Queen Creek, AZ

This approach targets the root of your distress, not just the symptoms on the surface. Many people spend years managing anxiety, depression, anger, or self-doubt without realising those responses are connected to unprocessed traumatic experiences. Childhood abuse, accidents, loss, difficult relationships, or any event that felt overwhelming can leave the nervous system stuck in a defensive loop. Trauma-based therapy interrupts that loop using evidence-based methods that work with how your brain actually stores and retrieves memory.

At Living Deliberate, Celeste Benesch, MC, LPC, and Lisa Lee, LAC bring a trained, experienced perspective to every session. Celeste holds an Arizona LPC licence, a Master Counselor credential, and specialised training in EMDR therapy, DBT, and Emotionally Focused Therapy. Lisa brings training in CBT, DBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, with a focus on creating a safe, non-judgmental space for healing. Together, their approach is direct without being harsh, and warm without being vague. You will know exactly what you are working on and why.

One of the most effective tools used in trauma work at Living Deliberate is EMDR therapy. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It works by helping your brain reprocess a traumatic memory so the emotional charge attached to it begins to fade. You will still remember the event, but it loses its grip.

During EMDR therapy, bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements — activates both hemispheres of the brain while you hold a difficult memory in mind. The brain does something similar naturally during REM sleep. In session, this guided process helps the memory move from a reactive, high-distress state into one that can be filed away as a past event rather than an ongoing threat.

EMDR therapy is effective for PTSD, childhood abuse, sexual trauma, accidents, grief, and the smaller recurring experiences that keep you locked in negative thought patterns. It is not just for major crises. If something happened that still affects how you feel about yourself or how you move through the world, it is worth addressing.

Celeste and Lisa draw from several evidence-based modalities depending on what each client needs most. Trauma-based therapy at Living Deliberate may include:

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to build emotion regulation skills and reduce reactive patterns.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and reframe distorted thinking connected to the trauma.
Somatic-informed techniques to help the body release stored stress responses.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to build psychological flexibility around painful memories.

No two people process trauma the same way. The approach is shaped around you, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.

Adults who feel stuck despite already trying to manage their mental health often find this work helpful. Common presentations include persistent anxiety or depression with no clear current cause, difficulty trusting others, low self-esteem rooted in past experiences, intrusive thoughts or nightmares, and emotional numbness or overreactivity.

Many clients who come to Living Deliberate have already tried talking about their experiences, but talking alone has not been enough. Trauma-based therapy goes deeper by working with memory and the nervous system directly. Clients report feeling lighter, clearer, and more in control of their responses after consistent work.

You can read more about what this looks like in practice on the Individual Counseling page and the Trauma page.

Living Deliberate is located at 1355 S. Higley #115, Gilbert, AZ 85296, with easy access for clients coming from Queen Creek, San Tan, and the broader East Valley. View the practice on Google to read client reviews and confirm location details.