Trauma Therapy in DC, Maryland & Virginia | IFS Specialist | Cushing Counseling

Something inside you already knows it’s time.

Radiance Sanneman (she/her) offers IFS-based trauma therapy for adults in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia helping you move through what’s been stuck, and discover what’s possible on the other side. Telehealth available.

✓ CCTP-II Certified Trauma Professional    ✓ IFS Level 1 Trained ✓ Licensed in DC, MD & VA    ✓ Telehealth Available

What if healing looked different than you think?

Most of us were never taught that healing was actually available to us. We learned to manage. To push through. To keep the harder parts of ourselves quiet and get on with things.

And for a long time, that works. Until it doesn’t.

Maybe you’ve noticed the same patterns showing up again and again — in relationships, in how you talk to yourself, in the way your body responds to stress. Maybe you’ve tried to understand it, or outrun it, or simply accept it as just the way you are.

But what if those patterns aren’t character flaws? What if they’re parts of you that learned to protect you — and just never got the message that the danger has passed?

That’s where this work begins. Not with fixing what’s wrong with you, but with getting genuinely curious about what’s been keeping you safe — and what it might feel like to finally set some of that down.

Give yourself the gift of finding out what’s possible.

You might be here because…

• Something from your past keeps showing up in your present, no matter how much time has passed

• You feel like you’ve been holding things together for so long you’ve forgotten what “not holding it together” would even look like

• Relationships — with others, or with yourself — feel harder than they should

• You carry shame or self-criticism that runs deeper than circumstance, deeper than logic

• Your body is tense, braced, or numb in ways you can’t fully explain

• You experienced something — in childhood, in a relationship, in a faith community, in an institution — that left a mark

• You’ve tried therapy before and felt like something was still being missed

• You’re tired of coping. You want to actually heal.

HOW IFS TRAUMA THERAPY WORKS

A different kind of healing — one that works with all of you, not just part of you.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapy model built on a simple but profound idea: the mind is not one thing. It is many — different parts, different voices, different ways of being that developed over time in response to your life.

Some parts protect. Some parts carry pain. Some parts have been working overtime for years, doing jobs they were never meant to do forever.

IFS doesn’t try to eliminate or override these parts. It brings curiosity instead of judgment, and presence instead of pressure. Over time, clients often find themselves releasing old fears and beliefs they’ve carried for years — and reclaiming energy and aliveness that had been locked away with them.

This isn’t about analyzing the past until you understand it well enough to move on. It’s about meeting the parts of yourself that are still living there — and offering them something they may never have had before: a chance to be heard, without needing to fight so hard.

Radiance brings IFS into a broader therapeutic frame — grounded in attachment theory, feminist principles, and deep respect for each person’s own wisdom and story. You are the expert on your life. She brings the tools, the presence, and the accompaniment. Together, you do the work.

WHAT THIS APPROACH TREATS:

• Complex PTSD (CPTSD) and complex trauma

• Childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

• Post-traumatic stress (PTSD)

• Religious and spiritual trauma

• Relational and betrayal trauma — from partners, families, institutions

• Grief, loss, and the weight of accumulated hurt

• Anxiety, depression, and shame with roots in the past

• Life transitions that bring old wounds to the surface

Meet Radiance Sanneman, MS, LCPC, NCC/CCMHC, CCTP-II (she/her)

Radiance is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor and certified as a Level II Clinical Trauma Professional. She is Level 1 trained in Internal Family Systems and has served as a program assistant for multiple IFS Level 1 trainings, immersing herself in this model not just professionally but personally. She uses IFS in her own life, which shapes the kind of presence she brings to her clients.

Before becoming an IFS therapist, Radiance was a feminist therapist — and those roots are very much alive in her work. She believes that the struggles people carry are never just private. They are shaped by relationships, systems, communities, and structures. Healing happens in full context, with a therapist who holds that context alongside you.

She is known for showing up with warmth, steadiness, and — when the moment calls for it — a lightness that makes even the most difficult work feel human. She is not in a hurry. She does not need you to perform wellness. She will be present, patient, and persistent: bringing perspective and, sometimes, a little playfulness to work that is real and serious and deeply worth doing.

Radiance is licensed to practice in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and serves clients across the DMV through telehealth.

What working together actually looks like

The first step is a free 15-minute consultation — a low-key conversation where you can share a little about what’s brought you here, ask whatever questions you have, and get a sense of whether working together feels right. There’s no commitment, no pressure, and no long intake forms before you’ve decided anything.

If it feels like a good fit, we’ll schedule an intake session — a longer first meeting where Radiance gets to know you and you begin to identify what you most want to work on and how. From there, sessions are 50 minutes, typically weekly, and move at a pace that’s right for you.

You don’t need to have the right words or know exactly what you’re looking for. Arriving is enough.

The part of you that found this page — it’s already pointing toward something.

Your first conversation is free. There’s no commitment — just a chance to talk about what’s brought you here and see what feels possible.

Do the Effects of Trauma Interfere With Your Life?

“The survivor who is accomplished in her recovery faces life with few illusions but often with gratitude.” – Judith Herman, from her book Trauma and Recovery 

Are you a trauma survivor living with the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Has persistent anxiety, depression, or emotional dissociation or numbness prevented you from leading a fuller, more deeply connected life? Do you struggle with building trust, developing closeness, or communicating your needs in relationships?  

If you’re living with the symptoms of trauma, you may notice:

• Persistent anxiety, hypervigilance, or fear

• Flashbacks, nightmares, or panic attacks

• Emotional numbness or dissociation

• Difficulty communicating needs in relationships

• Struggles with closeness, trust, or intimacy

  Trauma can leave you feeling disconnected and unable to fully engage with the present moment. Everyday routines may feel overwhelming, and even simple interactions with others can become exhausting.

The Emotional Impact Of Trauma 

Perhaps you often feel anxious and can’t stop worrying about the worst possible outcome. Or maybe you suffer from bouts of depression that cause severe sadness, irritability, or lethargy. At other times you may experience emotional numbness and feel empty inside. Underscoring it all may be a deep sense of shame or guilt you can’t shake. Even though you know it isn’t rational, you might engage in negative self-talk, as though what happened to you is somehow your fault. 

 The aftermath of trauma is not just emotional — it can affect every part of life. You may feel:

• Constant worry or fear of the worst outcome

• Deep sadness, irritability, or emotional emptiness

• Overwhelming guilt, shame, or negative self-talk

• Headaches, appetite changes, or sleep disturbances
  
  
  
  

These symptoms can create distance from loved ones, impact your ability to trust, and make it harder to maintain healthy boundaries in relationships. Left unaddressed, trauma may limit your ability to heal and move forward.

How Trauma Therapy Can Help

Trauma therapy provides a safe, supportive space to process difficult experiences and develop tools for healing. At Cushing Counseling, we use trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches to help you:

• Understand and reduce symptoms of PTSD and trauma-related distress

• Strengthen resilience, emotional regulation, and self-esteem

• Heal from shame, guilt, or negative self-beliefs

• Build healthier, more trusting relationships

• Reclaim your sense of safety and control

Begin Your Healing Journey Today

You don’t have to carry the weight of trauma alone. With compassionate care and professional support, it is possible to heal, reconnect, and move forward.

Take the first step by scheduling a free 15-minute consultation with Cushing Counseling. Together, we’ll create a personalized plan to help you overcome the past and rediscover hope, strength, and connection.

Therapy Provides a Safe Space to Heal Trauma

Experiencing trauma can feel overwhelming, affecting not only your emotional and mental health but also your relationships, work, and sense of safety. At Cushing Counseling, we provide a safe, supportive environment where you can talk openly about your experiences and begin processing both past and present trauma.

In this space, you can rebuild resilience, regain your confidence, and reawaken your sense of connection. With compassionate, trauma-informed therapy, healing is possible.

What to Expect in Trauma Therapy Sessions

During our first sessions, we’ll focus on building a trusting therapeutic relationship so you feel at ease discussing your experiences. Depending on your needs, therapy may include:

• Psychoeducation to help you understand how trauma affects the brain and body

• Symptom assessment using trauma-informed frameworks like the DSM to identify challenges

• Goal-setting to track your progress and support your long-term healing
  

As therapy continues, we’ll work together on:

• Trauma processing and emotional regulation

• Coping strategies and resilience-building

• Cognitive restructuring and self-awareness

• Relationship skills and boundary-setting
  

The ultimate goal is to reduce trauma and PTSD symptoms, improve daily functioning, and help you reconnect with a sense of safety and fulfillment.

A Comprehensive Approach to Trauma Therapy

At Cushing Counseling, we use evidence-based, trauma-informed methods tailored to your unique needs, including:

• Narrative Therapy – Reshape your self-identity and find meaning by reconstructing your story with resilience and empowerment.

• Somatic Experiencing (SE) – Process trauma stored in the body, regulate your nervous system, and restore a sense of safety through body-based awareness.

• Mindfulness-Based Therapy – Develop present-moment awareness, reduce reactivity to trauma triggers, and cultivate non-judgmental self-compassion.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Challenge negative thoughts, restructure distorted patterns, and foster more positive, adaptive thinking.
  

Moving Forward With Hope and Healing

Recovering from trauma is a courageous and transformative journey. While the process may have ups and downs, therapy can help you gradually release pain, build coping skills, and regain control of your life.

With the right support, you can cultivate a renewed sense of safety, strengthen your relationships, and create the future you deserve.