Trauma Therapy FAQs: Millcreek & Salt Lake City
Starting therapy brings up a lot of questions. Here are answers to the ones we hear most often. If yours isn’t here, call (801) 441-8943 or request an appointment.
Getting Started
Who does Dr. Hourmanesh work with?
Dr. Najmeh Hourmanesh works with children, teens, adults, couples, and families who are recovering from traumatic or overwhelming experiences. She also offers parent coaching, psychological assessments for children, ages 5 to 12, and consultation for other mental health professionals. Sessions are available in English and Farsi.
What concerns do you treat?
This practice specializes in trauma and PTSD, along with conditions that often come with them, such as anxiety, depression, and dissociative disorders. Clients come in after many kinds of experiences, including abuse, loss, accidents, natural disasters, war, and other events that left them feeling unsafe or overwhelmed.
How do I schedule my first appointment?
Complete the appointment request form or call (801) 441-8943. We respond within two business day, and offer a free 15-minute phone consultation.
What happens at the first session?
The first session is a chance to get to know each other. Dr. Hourmanesh will ask about what brings you in, your history, and your goals, and you can ask about her approach. Together you’ll decide on a plan that fits your needs and pace. For children, a parent or guardian usually joins part or all of the first visit. Children and their parents are often provided with paper and pencils and asked to do a drawing together; children may be asked to do 2 additional drawings and talk about them.
Do I need to fill out forms before my first visit?
Yes. Intake and consent forms are on the Forms page. Parents/guardians will be sent forms electronically to be completed prior to the first appointment. Completing them before your first appointment leaves more of the session for you. Please also review the Fees & Policies page and the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
Do you offer online (telehealth) sessions?
Yes. Sessions are available in person at our Millcreek office or online through a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform for clients located in Utah. Some approaches, such as play therapy and sand tray work, are best done in person; we’ll talk about which format fits your goals.
What are your office hours?
Monday – Thursday: 10 AM to 6:30 PM
Friday: 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Saturday: 10 AM to 5:00 PM
Where is your office?
The office is located on the first floor of the Heritage Square Building at 1345 E 3900 S, Suite 104, Millcreek, UT 84124, convenient to Salt Lake City, Holladay, Murray, and Cottonwood Heights.
About Trauma Therapy
What is trauma therapy?
Trauma therapy is treatment focused on helping your mind and body recover from experiences that overwhelmed your ability to cope. Rather than only talking about what happened, trauma-focused approaches help reduce the intensity of painful memories, calm the nervous system, and rebuild a sense of safety and control in daily life.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
No. Many of the approaches used here, including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, do not require you to describe every detail of what happened. You set the pace, and nothing is pushed before you feel ready. Building safety and coping skills always comes first.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, research-supported therapy for trauma and PTSD. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or tapping, while you briefly focus on a difficult memory, helping the brain process it so it feels less distressing. Dr. Hourmanesh is a Certified EMDR Therapist and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant.
What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)?
IFS is an approach that views the mind as made up of different “parts,” such as a part that protects you or a part that carries old pain. Therapy helps you understand these parts with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment. Dr. Hourmanesh is a Certified IFS Therapist (Level 3) and also uses Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO), an IFS-based approach for couples.
What is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy?
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-centered approach. Trauma is often held in the body as tension, numbness, or a sense of being on alert. This therapy pays attention to physical sensations and movement alongside thoughts and feelings, helping the nervous system settle. Dr. Hourmanesh is a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist.
How long does trauma therapy take?
It varies. Some people make meaningful progress with a single-incident trauma in a few months, while recovery from long-term or childhood trauma usually takes longer. Dr. Hourmanesh will review progress with you regularly, and you are always part of deciding when therapy is complete.
Children, Teens, and Families
What ages do you work with?
Dr. Hourmanesh works with clients of all ages, from young children to adults. Psychological assessments are offered for children ages 5 to 12.
How does play therapy help children heal from trauma?
Young children often can’t put difficult experiences into words. In play therapy and sand tray therapy, toys and miniature figures become a child’s language. Play creates enough safety and distance for children to work through what happened at a pace they can handle and reclaim a sense of power. Dr. Hourmanesh is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) and a Certified Sand Tray Therapist.
Will I be involved in my child’s therapy?
Yes. Parents and caregivers are an important part of a child’s healing. Depending on your child’s needs, this can include family sessions, parent coaching, and caregiver-child approaches such as Theraplay activities and the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). Dr. Hourmanesh will talk with you about how involvement will work before therapy begins.
What does a psychological assessment for children include?
Assessments for children ages 5 to 12 can evaluate intellectual abilities, academic skills, and social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Results help clarify what a child needs at home and at school. Dr. Hourmanesh is also a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). See Psychological Assessment for details.
Do you work with couples and families?
Yes. Couples trauma work uses Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO) and IFS, with an intensive 90-minute session option. Family and group trauma therapy can include group EMDR protocols (GTEP, C-GTEP, and IGTP), Theraplay activities, play therapy, and sand tray therapy.
Therapy in Farsi
Do you offer therapy in Farsi (Persian)?
Yes. Dr. Hourmanesh was born and raised in Iran and offers therapy in both English and Farsi (فارسی). She provides culturally responsive trauma care for Iranian and Farsi-speaking individuals and families, including EMDR, IFS, and group EMDR protocols.
Fees, Insurance, and Payment
How much does therapy cost?
See Fees & Policies for additional services such as letters, reports, and school consultation.
Do you take insurance?
Road to Healing Counseling is an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of service, and we provide an invoice you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Before your first appointment, call your insurer and ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits, including your deductible and reimbursement rate.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Payment is due at the time of service by cash, check, credit or HSA/FSA cards. A credit card and/or HSA/FSA card is kept on file.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
A limited number of reduced-fee spots are available based on financial need. Please ask when you contact us
What is your cancellation policy?
Please give at least 48 hours notice to cancel or reschedule so you are not charged for the session. Same-day cancellations are charged the full session fee. After two missed appointments without notice, your regular time may be offered to someone on the waiting list.
Will I receive a Good Faith Estimate?
Yes. Under the federal No Surprises Act, clients who don’t use insurance, or who don’t plan to bill insurance, have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges. You can ask for one before scheduling, and you’ll receive it before your first session.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Is what I share in therapy confidential?
Yes, with a few exceptions required by law. Dr. Hourmanesh may need to share information if there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, if abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult is suspected, or if a court orders it. These limits are explained in the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, and you’re welcome to ask about them at your first visit.
What will my child’s therapist share with me?
Parents and guardians of minors have legal rights to information about their child’s care. At the start of therapy, Dr. Hourmanesh talks with both parent and child about what will be shared and what stays private, so the child can feel safe while parents stay informed about safety concerns and overall progress.
For Professionals
Do you offer EMDR consultation for clinicians?
Yes. As an EMDRIA Approved Consultant, Dr. Hourmanesh provides consultation for clinicians working toward EMDR certification or seeking support with complex cases. Individual consultation is $175 per hour; group consultation rates vary. She also offers consultation in IFS, TF-CBT, sand tray therapy, and play therapy. See Consultation for Professionals.
Crisis Support
What should I do in a mental health emergency?
Still have questions? Call (801) 441-8943 or request an appointment.