Trauma Therapy

Recovery and resiliency

Drawing from approaches inspired by van der Kolk’s work on the nervous system & body-based therapies, I integrate somatic practices, mindfulness, & relational approaches to help clients reconnect with themselves, reduce stress responses, & reestablish safety within their bodies. Inspired by Brown’s emphasis on resilience & empathy, I also prioritize creating a compassionate space where clients can process trauma without judgment, rebuild self-compassion, & ultimately move toward healing.

I have specific training in treating trauma, including Trauma Resiliency Model, and other modalities that are able to clear trauma with ease.

I am a Certified Trauma Professional and offer an integrative approach that includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing, coping skills, mindfulness, and trauma-informed yoga.

Trauma work is at the root of everything I do. Life is filled with little "t" traumas and big "T" Traumas, but we all have to deal with this pain at multiple points in our lives. The consequences of not doing so can be profound, and the opportunity for healing is a life-changing one.

Through advanced training, I have learned that trauma symptoms may start in adulthood with signs of depression, anxiety, PTSD or dissociation, but leads back to defenses that we developed in childhood for protection. ACES, or adverse childhood events, include children experiencing divorce, having a family member who suffers from substance abuse or is incarcerated, or being neglected or abused. Together we can explore the unconscious to relieve symptoms with trauma-focused psychoanalysis.

I have received, and continue to engage in training for trauma-informed therapy, and in techniques to address and resolve trauma in the body, mind, and emotions.

When a therapist provides trauma-informed care, it means that they realize that adverse childhood experiences are widely prevalent in the adult population today. They recognize that many symptoms of mental illness are a result of traumatic experiences, and realize that treating the individual with respect and kindness is central to the healing experience. When looking through this lens, recovery from trauma becomes possible, as the therapist and client focus on creating a safe environment.

The ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study) revealed that 6 in 10 adults (from a large study of middle income, educated, employed adults) had at least 1 significant adverse childhood experience. A large percentage of the general population has had more than 1. Increased exposure to trauma increases: negative health outcomes, mental health issues, and likelihood of premature death. The good news is that the impact of ACES can be reversed with therapy that is focused on addressing trauma.

At the core of my work I am a Trauma-Informed clinician. All of my assessment, methodology, interactions, and treatment is informed by my knowledge of trauma: what it does to the brain, how it can cause different reactions in different people and when occurring at different ages in development. Much of my clinical training has been in Trauma-Informed methods including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Animal Assisted Therapy, and Creative Expression Interventions.

I have received direct trainings and supervision working with client's using trauma focused therapy. I have also ran and developed an intergenerational trauma group focusing on how trauma can be passed down from generations. I have a strong understanding of trauma dynamics and how traumatic experiences can impact an individual's beliefs, emotions, relationships, and behaviors.

I take a trauma-informed approach to therapy that works toward gentle integration of one's traumatic experiences toward a better understanding of ones self and the underlying issues that affect day to day coping and functioning.

Really big, terrifying events can sometimes stick with and follow us like an unwelcome ghost. If we continue to avoid our ghosts, our symptoms and negative experiences get worse and impact daily lives. Sound familiar? Trauma therapy, such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), can help you move through your trauma and develop healthier ways of processing your thoughts, feelings as well as others and the world around you. Essentially, by changing the way you think, you can change the way you feel

I work with clients with their parts, which is a method of breaking down client's experiences into parts of themselves that allow the complexity of their emotions to come forward. For example, part of the client feels held back because of a traumatic experience, but part of them also wants to move on from that experience. Empathetically examining the thoughts as a result of your trauma helps you find a way to overcome what has happened to you, to move to create the life you would like to live.

I have 20 plus years experience in the mental health field. I have had numerous trainings in trauma and trauma-informed care. I have experience working with persons (adults/children) that suffer from emotional, physical, and sexual trauma.

My approach starts by talking about how trauma affects body and brain, by causing emotional reactivity, lowered self-esteem, concentration issues, difficulty in relationships, and other symptoms. Next we will work together to create strategies specific to you, to calm symptoms when they arise. Once these tools are in place and you feel ready we will tackle the trauma itself, going slowly to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Each person on staff receives training specifically in trauma when on-boarding and supervision is trauma-informed as well.

My approach to trauma therapy infuses a systems lens, feminist/multiculturalist psychotherapies, stage-based trauma therapies, attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, relational approaches, body-oriented (somatic) modalities, creative approaches, experiential psychotherapy, existential psychotherapy, depth psychology. This diverse skill set allows me to employ a multitude of empirically backed psychotherapies while being very real and approachable with my clients. This kind of integrative model allows me to help clients feel what they need to feel, process what they need to process, and grow in the ways they need to grow so they can create the lives they wish to lead.