pictures are extremely helpful

Might be worth a try, removing all shoots but a single dominant one.

I did this after there was mild tip die-back on a 3-foot tree with similar habit (bald cypress), and half a dozen or so years later you can't tell there was ever a problem. This spring another bald cypress (about 15 feet tall) has about a foot of top die-back after our harsh winter, but there's a vigorous shoot I should be able to train as the new leader.

i would wait at least a month ... i am not sure mine are even budding out yet... will check as i round the garden ...

ken