245 5th Ave #311, New York, NY 10016 / 80 Park St., Montclair, New Jersey 07042
(312)600-3775
Accepting New Clients! Book a Free Consult
3 Montclair, NJ Trauma & PTSD Therapists Ready for Hire
Trauma loves to convince us that the world is permanently unsafe and that hypervigilance is just good life planning. But here's the thing: you weren't meant to live like you're perpetually auditioning for a survival reality show (you know the one I’m talking about).
If you're exhausted from constantly scanning for exits and ready to explore what it feels like to actually inhabit your life rather than just endure it, our therapists are here for you. With a holistic, trauma-informed approach and down-to-earth realness that you don’t often find in a clinical space, we’re here to support your journey toward more embodied living.
Meet our trauma therapists serving Montclair, NJ
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Jaclyn Paradise
Meet Jaclyn, the holistic therapist you didn't know you needed. Yes, she’s passionate about all things mind-body-soul (she is a yoga instructor, after all), but she also has a badass edge that truly sets her apart. As a Certified Trauma Professional, she understands that true trauma processing involves all aspects of your being, and she weaves together breathwork, somatic practices, and evidence-based talk therapy to empower you to be your authentic self.
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Good fit for: First responders, active duty military personnel & veterans, codependency, mind-body connection, complex trauma, AuDHD
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Works with PTSD: ✓
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Clientele: Teens, adults
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Virtual therapy: Yes
Sapira Cahana
Sapira views the therapeutic space as a sanctuary outside of time—a place where you can suspend the demands of daily life and dive into the deeper currents of your experience. She approaches trauma through the lens of wisdom traditions, philosophy, and disability justice, treating it not as something to overcome but as a doorway to understanding the tensions between who you are and how the world asks you to show up. Sapira is particularly drawn to working with those navigating caregiving, chronic illness, identity, and the quiet ache of loneliness.
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Good fit for: Caregivers, disability community, LGBTQ+ individuals, artists, gifted adults, those exploring identity and meaning-making, relational struggles
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Works with PTSD: ✓
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Clientele: Teens, adults
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Virtual therapy: Yes, for NJ, NY, & CT
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Dr. Cynthia Shaw
As the founder of the practice, Dr. Shaw is committed to creating a space where therapy actually feels human, not cold and formulaic. She approaches trauma like the complex philosophical puzzle it is: not something to "fix" but something to approach with a lens of curiosity and meaning-making. She's particularly skilled at walking with clients through life's messier questions while honoring the absurdity of being human in a sometimes unfair, overwhelming world.
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Good fit for: High-achievers, entrepreneurs & professionals, lawyers, philosophical & existential thinkers, loneliness, grief
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Works with PTSD: ✓
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Clientele: Teens, adults
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Virtual therapy: Yes, for NJ and 40+ PsyPact states
Common signs of PTSD
You won’t find these symptoms in the DSM, but this is what we actually hear from the clients we work with (and may have experienced one or two ourselves).
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Being bombarded with intrusive thoughts and unwanted memories
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Avoiding literally everything that reminds you of That Thing™
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Feeling like you're watching your life through a window—you’re technically here but not really present
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Your nervous system thinks you're still in danger even when you're just trying to do something “normal” like go for a walk or buy an iced coffee
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Sleep? Never met her (or maybe you know her a little too well)
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Concentration levels rivaling a caffeinated squirrel
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Mood swings that leave you unsure of what you actually feel
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Constant tummy troubles, headaches, and mysterious aches and pains
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That hobby you used to love? Now it just sits there judging you
(P.S. You don’t need a PTSD diagnosis to benefit from trauma therapy—this is just a snapshot of common struggles we hear from our clients. If you’re not sure whether what you went through is considered “trauma,” but you still want support, we’ve got you.)
How trauma therapy can help
Reclaim your nervous system
Trauma therapy guides you back into relationship with your body's inherent wisdom. Through somatic awareness and nervous system regulation, you'll discover how to move from survival mode into a space where calm and connection become possible again.
Rewrite your inner narrative
The stories trauma tells us about ourselves and the world often become a kind of mental prison. Therapy creates space to examine these narratives with curiosity and compassion, allowing you to shift unhelpful or outdated stories that hold you back and author a new chapter that honors your resilience.
Rebuild meaningful connections
Trauma can leave us feeling isolated and disconnected from ourselves and, by extension, others. The therapeutic relationship becomes a supportive laboratory for practicing trust, vulnerability, and authentic connection—skills that naturally extend into your relationships beyond the therapy room.
Restore your sense of agency
Perhaps most importantly, trauma therapy returns choice to your life. By processing difficult experiences in a safe container, you reclaim your ability to respond rather than react, moving from victimhood into empowered living.