Control-Mastery Therapy (CMT)

CMT is an evidence-based model of treatment recognized as a highly effective tool in the resolution of trauma. I trained under top CMT therapists at the headquarters for CMT research, San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group (SFPRG). I have also acted as a supervisor for internship trainees in the SFPRG clinic.

CMT and Trauma

Traumatic experiences leave survivors feeling powerless and at the mercy of other people's actions. To adapt, survivors develop strategies to help them make it to the other side. But unfortunately, they also develop beliefs about themselves and the world based on the conditions of their abuse.

Getting Unstuck

Many survivors become psychologically stuck in the time and place of their abuse. They continue using the same coping strategies and see themselves and others through the same distorted lens. As a result, a survivor will often react in ways that have little to do with the reality of the present situation. Remaining stuck in these loops can create self-fulfilling prophecies that undermine health and psychological well-being.

Trauma Therapy Means Empowerment

Control-Mastery refers to the theory's premise that people have control over the content of their minds and the belief that people seek treatment to master their own lives. That means trauma survivors are not just passive actors at the mercy of their symptoms but rather have the power to grow and heal. CMT is highly effective in helping trauma survivors update their mental maps of the world and feel safe to emerge from their protective shells. I use CMT to help survivors reestablish trust in themselves and others to reconnect with the feelings of safety vital to building a life with purpose and meaning.