Trauma Therapy with Compassionate Counseling St. Louis Therapist Kayla Shane, PLPC
At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we provide trauma therapy for kids, trauma therapy for teens, and trauma therapy for college students with both St. Louis in-person counseling and virtual counseling Missouri wide. Last week we connected you with the senior therapist at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, Molly Shaffer, LPC - you can read that interview about her work with trauma right here.
Today we are connecting with Compassionate Counseling St. Louis therapist, Kayla Shane, PLPC about her work with trauma therapy.
Image Credit: Unsplash Ahtziri Lagarde @ahtziri
What interested you in working with trauma?
I believe it is essential for clinicians to have a strong foundation in understanding and addressing trauma. Many people experience traumatic events at some point in their lives, and those experiences can have a significant impact on their emotional well-being, relationships, and daily functioning. Regardless of the primary area of treatment, having a background and understanding of the effects of trauma aids my work with many clients.
What interested me in pursuing additional trauma training is the desire to be as knowledgeable and competent as possible so I can effectively support a wider range of clients. I want to be prepared to meet clients where they are, especially during some of the most difficult and vulnerable moments of their lives. Developing my skills in trauma-informed care allows me to provide the compassion, understanding, and evidence-based support that clients deserve as they navigate and heal from challenging experiences.
Why do you like the TF-CBT approach for treating trauma in children and teens?
One of the reasons I appreciate TF-CBT is that it is a well-established, evidence-based treatment with strong research supporting its effectiveness for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. As a clinician, it’s important to me to use approaches that are grounded in research while still allowing flexibility to tailor treatment to each child’s unique needs, strengths, and circumstances. TF-CBT provides a strong foundation while allowing room to curate sessions to the individual.
I also value TF-CBT because it teaches practical skills that extend far beyond trauma treatment. Children and teens learn tools for emotion regulation, coping with stress, identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts, and communicating effectively. These are skills that can continue to benefit them throughout their lives, long after therapy has ended.
Another aspect of TF-CBT that I appreciate is its balanced approach to trauma processing. It does not push children to discuss difficult experiences before they are ready, but it also does not reinforce avoidance. Instead, the model helps children gradually build the coping skills, confidence, and emotional safety needed to process traumatic experiences in a supportive and structured way. This allows them not only to heal from trauma, but also to develop resilience and skills that can support their overall well-being and future growth.
When might a parent consider signing their child up for trauma therapy?
Parents may want to consider trauma therapy if their child has experienced a traumatic event and is showing emotional, behavioral, or functional changes that weren’t present beforehand. This might include increased anxiety, mood changes, sleep difficulties, trouble concentrating, avoidance, or changes in school performance and relationships.
While some stress reactions are normal after a difficult experience, therapy can be helpful when symptoms persist or begin interfering with daily life. In general, seeking support sooner rather than later can be beneficial, as early intervention can help children process their experiences, develop healthy coping skills, and prevent unhelpful patterns from becoming more established.
What should parents expect in the first TF-CBT session?
The first TF-CBT session is typically similar to a standard intake session. I will review important policies and procedures, gather background information, and talk with the parent and child about what to expect from the therapy process.
Families aren’t expected to dive into details of the traumatic experience in the first session. Instead, the focus is on building rapport, understanding the child’s current concerns, and beginning to gather information at a pace that feels safe and appropriate for the child and family. If the trauma is discussed, it will be to the extent that the child and parent feel comfortable and ready at that time.
Can you do TF-CBT virtually?
Yes! TF-CBT can be effectively delivered virtually, similar to CBT. As with in-person sessions, it requires active participation from both the child and caregiver. When engagement is consistent, telehealth can be a very effective way to provide TF-CBT.
What is one tool you love for helping kids with big feelings regulate their emotions and behaviors when their feelings are getting big?
It’s so hard to choose! But if I had to pick just one, the tool I really like for helping kids manage big emotions is breathwork. I often teach breathing exercises because they are highly accessible, evidence-based, and easy for kids and teens to use in the moment without needing any special materials or preparation.
What I appreciate most about breathwork is that it helps build immediate regulation skills while also being something children can carry with them anywhere. It’s a foundational tool that can be adapted in many different ways depending on the child’s age and needs, and it’s often a helpful starting point for building broader emotional regulation skills.
What would you want parents to know when they are considering trauma therapy for their child?
When parents are considering trauma therapy for their child, I would encourage them to reach out sooner rather than later, even if they feel unsure about whether their child is “ready.” A key part of our jobs as therapists is to help create a safe, supportive environment where both the child and caregiver can feel comfortable moving at an appropriate pace. Kids and teens don’t need to wait until they’re ready to talk; we can help them get there.
I’d also want parents to know that children are often far more resilient than they might expect. I am inspired every day by the strength of my clients. Experiencing trauma does not mean a child cannot go on to live a healthy, meaningful, and successful life. In fact, with the right support, therapy can help them not only return to baseline functioning, but also build skills that support long-term emotional strength and well-being.
Lastly, trauma therapy is not about blame. It is a collaborative, supportive process focused on helping children and families navigate difficult experiences and develop tools that support healing and growth.
Want to Work with Kayla?
Kayla Shane, PLPC
Thinking about exploring trauma therapy in St. Louis for your child or teen?
Kayla is completing her Trauma Focused CBT certification and is being supervised by the senior therapist at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, Molly Shaffer, LPC as she completes the final phase of her TF-CBT certification.
Schedule your free 15-minute consultation call to learn more about Compassionate Counseling St. Louis and the support available to your child.
Wondering if trauma therapy would be a helpful approach for your child or teen? Searching for a parenting coach and curious to learn more about parent coaching and therapy for child anxiety and anxiety-driven anger? Reach out to us at hello@compassionatecounselingstl.com. As child anxiety experts, we love working with kids, teens, college students and parents to help manage their anxiety, stress, and anger. Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is located in Clayton, MO and works with families by offering both in-person counseling and online therapy throughout St. Louis, Creve Couer, Ballwin, Town and Country, Brentwood, and Ladue. We also provide online therapy Missouri -wide to teens and college students. You can set up your free consult, on our consultation page.