Trish Byars

About Trish Byars

Trish Byars is a trauma-certified primary counselor at Ascend Recovery Center, specializing in individualized treatment planning, trauma-informed care, and the integrated treatment of substance use disorders alongside co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Trish carries clients through the full PHP and IOP arc — conducting initial clinical assessments, designing individualized treatment plans, leading individual therapy sessions multiple times per week, facilitating process and psychoeducation groups, coordinating family programming, and managing discharge planning into continuing care. Her clinical specialty is the integration of trauma-focused therapy with addiction recovery, recognizing that trauma — childhood adversity, sexual assault, combat exposure, complex relational trauma — drives substance use in 40–60% of treatment-seeking individuals. Trish uses evidence-based modalities including trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and elements of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) under clinical supervision. Her therapeutic approach emphasizes safety, predictability, and pacing — the structural conditions trauma survivors require to engage authentically in the recovery process. Trish works closely with the Medical Director on psychiatric medication coordination and with the Clinical Director on complex case staffings, ensuring that her clients receive integrated rather than fragmented care.