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Trauma Therapy · Santa Monica, CA

Trauma Therapy in Santa Monica

Dr. Janeen Locker is a licensed clinical psychologist and trauma therapist serving Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles. She provides evidence-based trauma treatment for PTSD, complex trauma, and dissociation — drawing on EMDR, psychodynamic therapy, and other approaches tailored to each patient's history and needs.

3101 Ocean Park Blvd., Suite 304, Santa Monica, CA
Free initial phone consultation
EMDRIA Certified · ISSTD Member
Understanding Trauma

Not all trauma looks the same

Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by the impact it has on the nervous system and how it shapes a person's relationship to themselves, others, and the world. Dr. Locker works with a broad range of traumatic experiences — from single incidents to the accumulated effects of years of chronic stress or relational injury.

As a member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), she brings specialized expertise to the more complex end of the trauma spectrum — including dissociative presentations that many therapists are not trained to recognize or treat.

Single-Incident Trauma

A specific event such as an accident, assault, medical emergency, natural disaster, or sudden loss. Often responds well to focused EMDR treatment.

Complex & Developmental Trauma

Repeated or prolonged trauma in childhood — including abuse, neglect, or emotional unavailability. Shapes identity, relationships, and the nervous system at a foundational level.

Relational Trauma

Harm caused within significant relationships — by a partner, parent, or caregiver. Often involves betrayal, violation of trust, and confusion about one's own perceptions.

Dissociative Disorders

Dissociation arising from chronic trauma, ranging from depersonalization and derealization to more complex presentations. Dr. Locker follows a stabilization-first framework with careful pacing.

Treatment Approaches

How Dr. Locker treats trauma in Santa Monica

Effective trauma treatment is rarely one-size-fits-all. Dr. Locker draws on multiple evidence-based approaches and integrates them according to each patient's history, presentation, and readiness for processing.

EMDR Therapy

The primary evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Dr. Locker is EMDRIA Certified at Level 1 and Level 2 — one of the highest credentials in the field. EMDR processes traumatic memories directly, without requiring patients to talk through them in detail.

Learn about EMDR
Psychodynamic Therapy

For complex and relational trauma, understanding how early experiences shaped current patterns is often essential. Dr. Locker's Yale-trained psychodynamic background informs her work with attachment injuries and developmental trauma.

CBT for PTSD

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy targets the maladaptive beliefs that trauma produces — about safety, trust, self-worth, and the world. It is often combined with other approaches for a more comprehensive treatment.

Learn about CBT
Clinical Hypnosis

ASCH-certified clinical hypnosis can support trauma processing by helping patients access deeper states of awareness, reduce hypervigilance, and reinforce a sense of safety and control — used as a complement to other approaches.

Dr. Locker's Trauma Credentials

Why choose Dr. Locker for trauma therapy in Santa Monica

Treating trauma — especially complex trauma and dissociation — requires specialized training that goes well beyond a general psychotherapy license. Dr. Locker has spent her career building exactly that expertise.

ISSTD
Member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation — a specialized credential few therapists hold
L1 & L2
EMDRIA Certified at both Level 1 and Level 2 — the gold standard in trauma-focused EMDR training
Yale
Pre- and postdoctoral training at Yale's Department of Psychiatry — foundational psychodynamic expertise applied to complex presentations
Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about trauma therapy

Trauma therapy refers to a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches specifically designed to help people process and recover from traumatic experiences. These include EMDR, CBT for PTSD, psychodynamic trauma therapy, and somatic-informed approaches. The goal is not to erase memories, but to reduce their power to cause ongoing distress.

Dr. Locker treats single-incident trauma (accidents, assaults, medical trauma, sudden loss) and complex or developmental trauma (childhood abuse, neglect, repeated relationship trauma). She also specializes in dissociative disorders that arise from chronic traumatic experiences, and is a member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD).

Dr. Locker uses an integrative approach to trauma treatment, drawing on EMDR (EMDRIA Certified, Level 1 & 2), psychodynamic psychotherapy, CBT for PTSD, and clinical hypnosis. The approach is tailored to each patient — some benefit most from EMDR's direct processing, while others need deeper relational work first.

PTSD typically results from a single traumatic event and involves flashbacks, avoidance, and hypervigilance. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) develops from prolonged or repeated trauma — often in childhood — and involves additional symptoms such as emotional dysregulation, dissociation, negative self-perception, and difficulty in relationships. Dr. Locker is experienced in treating both.

Yes. Dr. Janeen Locker provides trauma therapy at her office at 3101 Ocean Park Blvd., Suite 304, Santa Monica, CA 90405. She offers a free initial phone consultation — call +1 (310) 850-3933 to get started.

Dr. Locker does not accept insurance directly, but will provide a superbill upon request that you can submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

Ready to begin trauma therapy in Santa Monica?

Dr. Locker does not charge potential patients who call to ask about her services. Your first conversation is free.

Schedule a Free Consultation