Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma
I specialize in working with clients who struggle with symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, trauma, and relational stress, including the transition to parenthood. Collaboration with my clients is essential, as you are the expert on yourself. The collaborative approach also recognizes meaning-making, or creating truths, as a source of power. And I want you to feel empowered.
I’m certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I also have a good understanding of the neurobiology of traumatic stress and post-traumatic resilience.
Trauma and the body
You may be wondering, “so what is trauma?” Many people have heard this word in connection with exposure to natural disasters, the violence of war, abuse and neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, and other things. Through my training and experience, I recognize the broader definition of trauma to include responses to adverse childhood experiences as well as unexpected life events that are beyond our capacity to cope. These events can look like too much too fast, too much for too long, not enough for too long (in cases of neglect), or any combination of these. Our nervous system is similar to our physical systems (e.g. cuts on skin heal) in that it is naturally geared toward health. It is adaptive and self-protective.
When we encounter overwhelming stressful life situations (too much for too long) or a shocking event (too much too fast), this can tax our nervous system beyond capacity and we may lose access to our ability to self-regulate.
Another way to describe this is that our nervous system can get stuck in “fight or flight” mode, “freeze” shutdown mode, or “please and appease.” We may even toggle back and forth between these, struggling to get in to neutral or “pretty much ok” mode.
A lot of times, this pattern can wreak havoc on our relationships and result in chronic anxiety, pain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, being on-edge or hyperaware, and problems regulating emotions.
Additionally, we may experience “fright, flag, faint” or dissociation on a continuum from sensations of fogginess, sleepiness, or difficulty concentrating to feeling numb. Or in more extreme situations, amnesia or losing time. Dissociation is a psychological defense that separates conscious awareness from frightening feelings or memories (van Der Hart et al., 2006). It acts as a dimmer switch to keep emotions, somatic sensations, and unbearable arousal states out of self-awareness. It’s a protective mechanism of the nervous system.
“Trauma also leaves an imprint on the body. As a result, clients may wrestle with intolerable sensations or their body may feel like a foreign object” (Schwartz & Maiberger, 2018).
The good news is that healing is possible, and we can work together to trust the process! Again, our nervous system is geared toward health; it’s adaptive and self-protective. Many times in psychotherapy, clinicians miss a very important piece of supporting the client to integrate embodied awareness during treatment. In trauma treatment, we increasingly recognize that traumatic events need to be processed with an embodied awareness for full and lasting healing. However, in order to experience the benefits of embodied awareness, we must develop the capacity to face certain frightening physical sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them (Levine, 2010).
EMDR and my approach
The approach of EMDR is integrative, consisting of 8 phases, and I tailor treatment to meet the systemic needs of each person. EMDR therapy helps the client process disturbing memories through desensitizing related images, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. The reprocessing phase involves dual attention where the client is asked to remain aware of the experience of the present moment, while simultaneously accessing memories related to the traumatic event. This concept is often referred to as putting one foot in the past while keeping one foot in the present.
We use bi-lateral stimulation (eye-movements, tapping, and/or binaural audio) to support your body mind with metabolizing the stuck components of the memory.
My job is to attune, monitor, and support clients in widening their window of affect tolerance so they can face the memories without getting flooded. This involves working together with my clients to strengthen awareness of feeling tone (noticing pleasant, disturbing, or neutral). We also strengthen internal and external support Resources.
Attachment wounding and developmental trauma often require additional preparation and resource strengthening in order to heal as compared with non-relational trauma. I am trained to support my clients in addressing developmental needs that may not have been met in childhood, so they can be more embodied in their present relationships. We often will address this through Ego states or Parts work.
My approach is humanistic and relational. I also come from an attachment-informed perspective, meaning I am curious about how present relationships and behaviors interact with past (childhood & family-of-origin) experiences. Relationships are essential to our well-being, both emotionally and physically. I bring empathy, attunement, and collaboration to the therapeutic relationship. My approach to working with trauma through EMDR integrates well with these origins as we work to create a sense of safety and trust in the therapeutic relationship.
We will enhance resources or “tools” to help you regulate or calm your body and mind between therapy sessions. We will find the pace and rhythm that supports you.
