In my work with individuals, couples and families, I am passionate about helping my clients explore what is holding them back from living their best lives. I am an active and supportive listener and will help you identify and meet your own goals for health and happiness.
Trauma can leave lasting scars, but healing is possible. I offer a safe and supportive environment to process traumatic experiences, develop coping skills, and move towards post-traumatic growth. You are not defined by your past.
Experiencing traumas can change the brain in profound ways, affecting the way a person perceives the world & reacts to triggering situations. The brain stores traumatic memories in a way that the person perceives the memory as being still in process. Through the use of Thought Pattern Management, Hypnotherapy, & Hypnotherapy, traumatic memories can be processed in a way that enables the brain to change the way it stores these memories, allowing the person to recognized that the event is in the past & that they are now safe. The person is then free to heal & grow, leaving the pain somewhere in the past.
Healing from trauma and PTSD is a journey that requires a compassionate and evidence-based approach. My specialty lies in utilizing behavioral and cognitive-behavioral (CBT) therapies, including Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy, to help you process and overcome traumatic experiences. These therapies focus on confronting and reprocessing traumatic memories in a safe and supportive environment, reducing the power they hold over your daily life. By addressing both the emotional and cognitive aspects of trauma, we aim to alleviate symptoms, foster resilience, and empower you to reclaim a sense of safety and control.
I've been working with trauma survivors since prior to graduate school, beginning in 2004. While I have experience in treating a wide range of traumatic related symptoms, I've found that I'm most effective in treating first responders (healthcare workers, police officers, firefighters), ministry leaders and volunteers serving in crisis management roles, and those who've experienced single incident traumas (car accidents, medical trauma, physical assault, natural disasters). I also specialize in helping individuals who've experienced traumatic grief/loss (those who witnessed a traumatic event). I've completed training in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) through the Veteran Affairs Medical Center and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) through an EMDRIA approved trainer. I use several different approaches to prepare clients for the hard work of facing their pasts. When you're ready, we will work together to decide what treatment will be most effective for you.
I come from a trauma informed background and spent many years working in residential sub acute care. In this profession, I became certified in therapeutic crisis intervention, and helped clients process their trauma through a trauma narrative.
I use a trauma-informed approach throughout my practice because trauma is unfortunately so common throughout the world. I focus on symptom reduction, supporting my clients to better understand how their experiences affect them in the world, and help Clients develop concrete skills to keep their energy in the present and the future rather than in the past.
I specifically focus on people with religious trauma. You might not have thought about your trauma as religious. But did you have a tough time growing up in a strict church environment? So did I. Maybe you didn't even realize the effect it had on you until much later in life.
I use Internal Family Systems therapy, which is an approach used specifically for trauma. However, it is not a PTSD approach. If you suffer from severe PTSD symptoms, I'm probably not the right fit for you. If you're not sure, schedule a free consultation. I can provide you with referrals to PTSD specialists if we decide that's appropriate.
If you've had significant physical, sexual, or emotional trauma in your life, it may still be the case that parts of you are stuck in those situations. I will help you gently access those parts of you - compassionately and at your own speed - and help those parts get un-stuck, relax, and heal.