Breaking the cycle.
Stigma and generational trauma are not the only cycles that warrant breaking. Many people who have gone through the mental health/medical system have been told their realities are "delusional" or that only certain types of treatment/modalities will help them. Sadly, this can contribute to institutional harm and invalidating people's experiences; no one should be told they fit into a box. I believe that therapy should be strengths-based, flexible, collaborative, and customized in a way that honors the rich complexities of being human; there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. You are the expert of your own life.
Stigma and generational trauma are not the only cycles that warrant breaking. Many people who have gone through the mental health/medical system have been told their realities are "delusional" or that only certain types of treatment/modalities will help them. Sadly, this can contribute to institutional harm and invalidating people's experiences; no one should be told they fit into a box. I believe that therapy should be strengths-based, flexible, collaborative, and customized in a way that honors the rich complexities of being human; there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. You are the expert of your own life.
Partnering together.
In our work together, you are the driver; I'll be in the passenger seat helping out. My approach is empowerment-driven, compassion-focused, creative, and relational. Healing is not linear, and there is no "right" way or timeline for it to happen; it's a process. I'm here to help you tap into/find your inherent strengths and think that part of healing from relational trauma is by experiencing healing relationships.
In our work together, you are the driver; I'll be in the passenger seat helping out. My approach is empowerment-driven, compassion-focused, creative, and relational. Healing is not linear, and there is no "right" way or timeline for it to happen; it's a process. I'm here to help you tap into/find your inherent strengths and think that part of healing from relational trauma is by experiencing healing relationships.
Embracing all parts.
Whatever your internal or external reactions to trauma have been, they are all elements of you that deserve to feel heard, instead of being told to “just get over it” or “move on”. All parts of you are welcome, even the ones you view as "bad" or distressing. Whether they are emotions, thoughts, behaviors, voices, visions, or sensations, we are not trying to get rid of them; we're trying to extend curiosity toward where they came from. We can also explore how perhaps, at their core, they may have historically protected you from harm. You don't need to be "put together", sober/"clean", or on medication; I will meet you exactly where you're at and honor wherever you are in your stage of healing.
Whatever your internal or external reactions to trauma have been, they are all elements of you that deserve to feel heard, instead of being told to “just get over it” or “move on”. All parts of you are welcome, even the ones you view as "bad" or distressing. Whether they are emotions, thoughts, behaviors, voices, visions, or sensations, we are not trying to get rid of them; we're trying to extend curiosity toward where they came from. We can also explore how perhaps, at their core, they may have historically protected you from harm. You don't need to be "put together", sober/"clean", or on medication; I will meet you exactly where you're at and honor wherever you are in your stage of healing.
Being real.
My goal is to support you on your journey and do all that I can within my scope of practice and ability. I understand how hard it can be to find someone whom you vibe with, not to mention feel safe with. You will hear the use of metaphors, geeky book/movie/show references, and the occasional "dark" humor. I also invite the use of expressive arts if desired and honor people's cultural practices and spiritual values as additional sources of strength they are welcome to bring into session. Lastly, it is important to me that I'm transparent with you about the process and my competencies, even if this means connecting you with someone whom I believe may be better equipped to support you in the way you deserve.
My goal is to support you on your journey and do all that I can within my scope of practice and ability. I understand how hard it can be to find someone whom you vibe with, not to mention feel safe with. You will hear the use of metaphors, geeky book/movie/show references, and the occasional "dark" humor. I also invite the use of expressive arts if desired and honor people's cultural practices and spiritual values as additional sources of strength they are welcome to bring into session. Lastly, it is important to me that I'm transparent with you about the process and my competencies, even if this means connecting you with someone whom I believe may be better equipped to support you in the way you deserve.
Below you will find information on phase-oriented trauma recovery, a list of modalities I practice, and the principles of trauma-informed care.
Phase-Oriented Trauma Recovery
The way I gage what modalities to draw from is based on both your preference, as well as the model of Phase-Oriented Trauma Recovery, which was developed by Drs. Judith Herman and Pierre Janet. This model breaks down the navigation of trauma recovery into three phases:
Each of these phases honors where you are at in your healing process, beginning with introducing grounding techniques to soothe your nervous system, crisis management in response to any active safety concerns, and safe coping skills in response to ongoing stressors. During this initial phase, there is no trauma processing, as we are focusing on empowering you with tools to work up to this (should this be your goal). After these are established, we can begin the practice of trauma processing, followed by navigating through your desire to reconnect and integrate yourself into the world you have fought so bravely in. To learn more, click here. I integrate various modalities depending on what each person brings to session. After reading more about each model model, let me know which approaches resonate with you. |
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Main Modalities
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Adjunctive Approaches
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Parts Work
Parts Work is an umbrella term for various therapy modalities that work from the notion that the human personality (psyche) is made up of parts or sub-personalities (aka ego states), which compete or attempt to control each other and are shaped by our childhood experiences. Reframing various emotions, physical sensations, internal sensory experiences, and attachment styles as “parts” or aspects of you instead of “all” of you can be a way of objectively offering more curiosity and compassion to parts of you that need to be heard (not judged). The types of parts work modalities I personally draw from are the Structural Dissociation Model, Ego State Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and archetypes. For survivors of chronic childhood trauma, these parts may feel more separated and distinct, sometimes to the point of developing amnesiac barriers between them, creating fragmented, autonomous identities (as seen in Dissociative Identity Disorder). In this case, parts may present as more developed and independently functioning (i.e. separate/alternate identities or "alters"). When using parts work with people who have DID or OSDD, each alter (however formed or fragmented) is treated as an individual with their own desires, fears, and strengths. Using this structural dissociation-informed approach, the goal is not to fuse or integrate these parts, but to work with them to increase 1) communication, 2) collaboration, and 3) co-consciousness. This can be done through mapping out your inner system, identifying the characteristics and triggers of each part, and understanding your relationship toward each part. |
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
EMDR is a type of therapy for either multiple or single-event traumas that follows the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) theory, which describes how memories are processed and stored in the brain. This process is adaptive and very much influenced by what one’s baseline and environmental safety factors look like (i.e. if one is still in danger or not). For this reason, some memories become consolidated (e.g. non-trauma memories) or fragmented (i.e. trauma memories), sometimes to the point of feeling as though they are still happening, even in the absence of external danger. EMDR uses a combination of left-to-right movements (i.e. “dual attention stimulus”), mindfulness techniques, body awareness, and gradual exposure to connect the “here and now” parts of your brain with the “there and then” trauma parts of your brain. Notably, this is done while you safely recall memories by thinking about them, not by verbally recalling them. This way, your brain can re-process the memories in a safe and healthy way, so that your nervous system eventually feels less activated or immobilized. I practice what’s called Attachment-Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR), which integrates a more relational style through the therapeutic rapport, as well as your attachment style. To learn more, click here. |
Trauma Regulation and Integration Process (TRIP)
TRIP is a somatic and parts-based modality that recognizes memories as being stored in the body. Its premise is that your body, brain, emotions, beliefs, sensations, and relationships need both regulation and internal connectedness for you to feel alive and in the present. It is an integrative model that lends from multiple modalities and theories, including somatic therapies, One Eye Integration (OEI), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Theory of Structural Dissociation, and Developmental Attachment Theory. Operating from the foundation of Parts Work, TRIP uses the knowledge of the brain splitting into various parts- via survival-based dissociation- to engage in an eye-brain technique, wherein I will guide you in covering one eye at a time, with your permission, to engage the left-right sides of your nervous system. This will help you to better understand aspects of you that hold various roles which play out in present-day life (ex. injured child/trauma holder, numbness/protector, caring/nurturer, etc.). The goal is to make more sense of your current responses to life, thereby bringing relief, understanding, and healing. To read more about TRIP, click here. |
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
NET is a type of therapy for chronic and/or multiple traumas. We create an autobiography of your life, with a focus on your past traumatic experiences, especially if it feels like they all “run together” and are intertwined. We begin by mapping out the highlights and lowlights (traumas) of your life on a timeline using symbols and any other representations that are meaningful to you. I will then guide you in writing your life story event by event in a safe, supportive way, so that you can process painful memories piece by piece- at your own pace- that you may have been avoiding as a way to cope. If you like to write, or storytelling has been a historically healing modality in your life or culture, this can be a way to compliment this so that you have an opportunity to better understand where you’ve been, why you think the way you do, and how you can move forward. To learn more, click here. |
Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy
PE is a type of therapy for a single-event trauma that helps to decrease distress and anxiety around traumatic experiences by gradually confronting trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and reminders that you have been avoiding as a means to cope. Deep-breathing is paired with this process, to allow for a feeling of empowerment and soothing of your nervous system as you re-visit past memories. In this process, you will learn how to reduce the power a trauma memory has in your life through taking control of calling the memory forward and learning about it each week; eventually, the intrusive thoughts and memories will lessen as you take your power back. You will learn effective relaxation techniques, gain mastery over your fears, and find resolution of hurtful core beliefs. To learn more, click here. |
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
TF-CBT is a type of therapy used for children and teens that helps to decrease distress and anxiety around traumatic experiences. This therapy helps you to learn how thoughts, emotions, and body reactions are connected to each other, especially in regard to surviving trauma. It will allow you to gain more insight to connecting the mind and body, while also learning how to safely confront your trauma-related triggers by incorporating mindfulness techniques, so that you can feel less controlled by them. You will learn effective relaxation techniques, gain mastery over your fears, work through hurtful core beliefs, and receive ongoing support. To learn more, click here. |
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT is a type of therapy for a single-event trauma that helps to make connections between trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It can help to decrease traumatic stress and depression by challenging unhelpful beliefs and thinking patterns that may have arisen because of trauma, in addition to examining whether the facts support thoughts and beliefs that have been hurting you. This is done through introducing cognitive-behavioral techniques to approach upsetting thoughts or feelings. If you tend to think in a very evidence-based, logical manner and enjoy having homework to do in-between sessions, this may be a good fit for you. To learn more, click here. |
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp)
CBTp is a form of CBT specifically designed to be empowerment-based for anyone who experiences what may be considered hallucinations or delusions. This can help you examine your inner experiences and develop coping strategies to manage distressing symptoms. This can also help to connect past experiences to present ways of thinking or behaving, including how you have historically coped with trauma and stress. The goal is self-exploration, leading to increased insight and quality of life, in whatever way is realistic for, and desired by, you. To learn more, click here. |
Person-Centered Therapy
This is a therapeutic approach that embraces the fact that you are the expert of your own life, and not me. Even if you feel lost or do not trust yourself, there is still inherent wisdom that you carry, which I will honor and embrace. The main element is using connection, empathy, and unconditional positive regard to help you feel safe to explore your struggles. To learn more, click here. |
Somatic Approaches
I integrate various somatic approaches in my work that aim to include how trauma has been stored in your body. Sometimes body memories can show up as pressure, pain, tingling, and other physical sensations that many survivors experiences. Of course, should you experience any physical pain or distressing sensations, I will encourage you to see a medical professional, as I never assume that physical sensation is purely psychosomatic. However, whether a medical condition has been confirmed or ruled out by a medical professional, it can still be helpful to include how your body has coped with trauma throughout your life, as it also tells a story. Some of the somatic theories and modalities I draw from are Polyvagal Theory, yoga, and Havening. |
Mindfulness Meditation
Simply put, mindfulness is the opposite of mindlessness. The goal is stress reduction and increasing our present-moment awareness, so that we are focusing on what is happening right now vs. getting lost in the past or the future. This can be very helpful in trauma therapy when you are needing to pause, take a break, and/or train your mind and body to know what it means to feel at peace (without danger, negative consequences, or judgment). Practices within mindfulness meditation can include somatic grounding, deep-breathing, visualizations, and body scanning. To read more, click here. |
Expressive Arts
The arts are a great way to express yourself when words cannot, as well as provide means of feeling seen and understood. This can include creating AND consuming artistic sources. Some examples are visual arts (painting, drawing), sculpture, crafting, graphic design, music, drama, writing, singing, spoken word, and more. As a visual artist, musician, and writer, I understand the benefit of this and can brainstorm with you what creative pathways you resonate with that can compliment your healing process. I welcome any and all expressive arts modalities that are part of your life and meaningful to you. To learn more, click here. |
Harm Reduction
This is an approach aimed at reducing safety concerns, by using practical strategies to keep you safer. This can apply to various learned self-soothing behaviors or addictions like substance-use or self-harm, as well as inner experiences such as auditory sensations and suicidal/homicidal ideation. The tenets of this philosophy include: 1) accepting that all behaviors are complex and part of our world, 2) focusing on increasing one’s quality of life– and not necessarily the cessation or ”control” of all behaviors, and 3) meeting people where they are at and accepting them where they are (I am not here to “fix” you- you are not broken). Other uses for harm reduction can include finding creative strategies to safely and responsibly attend health appointments, taking your medication as prescribed (only if you are taking meds; this is not a requirement), eating, tending to your medical care, navigating survival-based occupations (e.g. sex work), tending to your housing situation, and accessing resources when needed. The point is that the goal is safety, not force of cessation. To learn more, click here. |
Relational Cultural Theory (RCT)
RCT is a relationship-centered, culturally-oriented form of therapy that focuses on our historical need for connection and interdependence. Through this lens, isolation is viewed as a major source of suffering, at both a personal and cultural level. It takes influence from cultural anthropology and each of our respective ancestral ties. RCT also identifies additional sources of isolation outside of interpersonal trauma to extend to cultural and social traumas, which contribute to chronic disconnection. Beginning with the therapeutic relationship, the long-term goal is to deepen your relationship with yourself, others, and the world. Positive interpersonal factors are integrated into the process of healing relational trauma, through elements such as mutual empathy, cultural celebrations, and other sources of connection and pride. To learn more, click here. |
Safety- importance of feeling emotionally and physically safe, experiencing healthy boundaries, having personal needs respected.
Trustworthiness & transparency- importance of understanding rationale for decisions and only being made promises that can be kept.
Peer support- importance of having access to, and receiving, community resources and validation from others with shared experiences.
Collaboration & mutuality- importance of teamwork in recovery and treatment, with equal and shared power.
Empowerment & choice- importance of always being offered choices, having internal strengths validated and valued.
Cultural, historical & gender issues- importance of ensuring cultural identities and practices are honored and represented in recovery work, recognizing systemic trauma and triggers. |