Trauma Therapy Blog: PTSD, Complex Trauma, Attachment & ACT
ACT‑led, trauma‑informed insights for adults in California & Virginia—PTSD, C‑PTSD, attachment, anxiety, online telehealth, and security‑clearance‑safe care.
I write practical, compassionate posts to help you understand trauma and take values‑guided steps—without stigma. You’ll find ACT‑led tools, trauma education, and clear next steps for online therapy in California and Virginia.
What you’ll find here:
PTSD & Complex PTSD explained in plain language
Attachment patterns (anxious, avoidant, mixed) and how to build secure habits
ACT skills you can use today (present‑moment, values, willingness)
Anxiety and mood regulation in the context of trauma
Telehealth logistics and privacy for high‑clearance roles
I’m Dr. Sheila Vidal—licensed in CA (PSY36022) and VA (0810007130). I provide online, trauma‑informed care for adults statewide. If something here resonates, you’re welcome to request a free 15‑minute consultation.
Featured Guides
Browse by Topic
Use these topic hubs to get straight to what you need:
Attachment & Relationships: Boundaries, repair language, and skills that support secure connection.
CBT and Attachment: Practical CBT tools to reduce worry, clinginess, and avoidant patterns.
Online Therapy: How HIPAA-secure telehealth works in CA & VA, privacy essentials, and session prep.
Trauma & Relationships: How trauma impacts trust, intimacy, conflict, and communication—and ways to heal.
Trauma Recovery: Stabilization, psychoeducation, nervous-system care, and values-guided action.
Popular in California
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Popular in Virginia
For readers searching in VA (including NoVA/DC metro):
About the Author
I’m Dr. Sheila Vidal, a licensed clinical psychologist focused on ACT‑led, trauma‑informed online therapy for adults. I serve clients statewide in California and Virginia with a specialty in PTSD, C‑PTSD, attachment‑based challenges, anxiety, and support for federal employees and high‑security‑clearance professionals seeking private, insurance‑free care.
Moral Injury in First Responders & Veterans: What It Is—and an ACT Plan to Heal
Moral injury leaves first responders and veterans carrying guilt, shame, or betrayal after hard calls. Learn what it is, why it matters, and how ACT therapy in California & Virginia offers a safe, values-based path to healing.
Executive Burnout vs. Depression: A 3-Minute Self-Check and an ACT Plan
Not sure if it’s burnout or depression? I guide you through a 3-minute self-check and an ACT plan for immediate relief and next steps—confidential online care in CA & VA.
PTSD and Trauma Therapy in California: How to Choose the Right Therapist Online
Navigating PTSD can feel overwhelming, but finding the right online therapist in California doesn't have to be. Learn how to choose a qualified trauma therapist and take your first step towards healing today.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): How It Can Help You Heal
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you build psychological flexibility—accept difficult emotions, unhook from sticky thoughts, and take values-guided steps. I provide evidence-based, online ACT for trauma, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain across California and Virginia.
Security Clearance & Mental Health Therapy: What You Need to Know
Are you avoiding therapy because you fear it could cost you your security clearance? You’re not alone. Bottom line: therapy will not jeopardize your security clearance. I explain DCSA guidance, SF-86 reporting (what to disclose, what not), when therapy may be reportable (mandated-reporter limits), and how documented treatment strengthens reliability—confidential CA & VA telehealth.
Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) vs. PTSD – What’s the Difference?
Complex PTSD develops from prolonged trauma and includes emotional dysregulation, negative self‑concept, and relationship difficulties beyond PTSD.
Immigration and Refugee Trauma: Healing in Uncertain Times
Immigrants and refugees often carry unique trauma from displacement, violence, and persistent fears of deportation or family separation. This post explores how trauma-informed therapy—grounded in cultural humility and evidence-based methods (ACT, CBT, narrative exposure)—can help individuals heal, build resilience, and regain a sense of safety. Online care is available statewide in California and Virginia, with strict confidentiality to protect privacy.
Understanding PTSD’s Ripple Effect on Relationships
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) doesn’t just affect the person who experienced trauma—it can ripple through their closest relationships. Partners may feel shut out by emotional numbing or frustrated by sudden anger, while trust and intimacy suffer as both people struggle to feel safe. In this article, we explore how PTSD symptoms (avoidance, hypervigilance, etc.) impact couples and families, and share research-backed insights on healing together in the aftermath of trauma.
CBT Tools for Anxiety and Attachment: Real Skills for Worry, Clinginess & Avoidance
Struggling with constant worry or fear of getting too close? You’re not alone. I’m Dr. Sheila Vidal, a trauma psychologist, and I help adults break out of anxious and avoidant attachment cycles using cognitive-behavioral tools. In this post, I’ll show you how CBT can calm racing “what if” thoughts, curb clinginess or shutdown, and build more secure, confident relationships – all at your own pace.
Understanding and Healing Avoidant Attachment Patterns
Avoidant (dismissive-avoidant) attachment can make intimacy feel unsafe—but it’s changeable. I explain causes, signs, and how ACT-led therapy (with CBT, Schema, MBCT) reduces emotional distancing using values, mindfulness, exposures, and somatic tools—plus between-session practice. 100% online in California & Virginia.
What to Expect in Your First Online Trauma Therapy Session
Starting trauma therapy online can feel intimidating. In this first‑session guide, I explain exactly what happens on video, how I protect your privacy, how I assess PTSD and complex trauma without pressure, the first skills I’ll teach (ACT‑led, CBT‑informed), and what to do if tech glitches interrupt care—so you can begin with clarity and confidence.
Trauma Recovery Resources: Crisis Support, Apps, and Tools for Healing
Find trusted crisis lines, identity‑specific hotlines, California & Virginia supports, and evidence‑based tools that complement therapy. I provide 100% online trauma care for adults in CA & VA using ACT, CBT, CPT, PE, and mindfulness.
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No—posts are educational. If you want treatment, we can talk about fit in a brief consult.
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Yes—most articles include ACT‑aligned skills you can practice safely.
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I’m self‑pay with superbills for possible out‑of‑network benefits.
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Yes. I offer private, security‑clearance‑safe therapy via telehealth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Visit my frequently asked questions about online trauma therapy page.