A relationship rooted in trust and safety is at the foundation of all the therapeutic work I do. The therapeutic relationship in itself is healing, especially for folks with complex trauma, and also is important groundwork to establish even when integrating other modalities.

I am trained in Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR to support folks’ healing from a diverse array of ways trauma can impact us personally and relationally.

EMDR is an evidence based therapy approach created to address PTSD symptoms, and works extremely well for many folks who want to decrease somatic distress associated with trauma triggers. We can use this approach for single event trauma, however, S.A.F.E. EMDR adds a framework to the existing EMDR protocol, which allows us to address complex trauma more seamlessly. We can use this EMDR approach to address anything that resulted from previous adverse experiences. This could include anxiety, perfectionism, depression, relational or attachment patterns causing issues, and hyper-vigilance, to name a few examples.

If you are curious if EMDR might be helpful for you, let me know and we can talk more about it.

Internal Family Systems, or IFS, is an evidence based approach for complex trauma, as well as a variety of other experiences. IFS therapy involves exploring each of our unique “parts” which develop as response to some previous adverse experience. Even if a part is causing us issues now (e.g. a part with perfectionistic or people pleasing tendencies), the part exists because it was adaptive and helpful at one point in time. In IFS therapy, we increase our awareness and understanding of our parts; we also increase trust and connection with exiled parts that may be holding onto traumatic or harmful experiences and we support them in healing from these. IFS therapy can be helpful for a lot of folks in building more compassion and care for ourselves while also exploring tangible change and healing.

I am also trained in IFS-Informed EMDR, which is an additional training that integrates the two models.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a skills based therapeutic approach that many neurodivergent people find helpful in managing distress, difficult emotions, and navigating relationships. I use a neurodivergent-affirming approach to DBT, where I might offer modifications or adaptations to certain skills that may work better for ND folks. I also utilize Sony Jane’s Neurodivergent Affirming Workbook of DBT skills as well. Many autistic and ADHD folks as well as people with BPD, self harm, and suicidal ideation tend to find DBT helpful.

I generally approach therapy from a somatic framework. Trauma impacts the way we think and feel, but it also impacts our bodies, so typically just altering our thought processes is not enough to create lasting change. EMDR and IFS are both somatic therapy approaches and I also integrate a variety of other somatic tools in my work as well.