About Alexa
I believe that everyone has a desire to feel seen, heard, and validated
My goal is to hold space for those affected by trauma and offer validation of their personal experiences as they move towards healing. So many trauma survivors have been told that their experiences weren’t real or that they need to “get over it and move on.” In the space you share with me, you will never hear that your experience is insignificant or that someone else had it worse. Forgiveness is not a requirement for healing, no matter what other people may say. This is a space dedicated to you and the truth of your experience, even if you aren’t sure yet exactly what that truth is.
Many of my clients express that traditional talk therapy hasn’t helped them and they are willing to try therapy one last time. Maybe this is the beginning of your therapeutic journey and you don’t know what to expect from the process. I use psychoeducation to teach clients how trauma lives in the mind and body and then I teach them tools for self-regulation so they feel empowered in their own healing process. I don’t tell people what to do or how to live; I simply walk with them on their path towards healing.
I use EMDR as my primary treatment modality. This is a way to reprocess traumatic memories, which allows clients to change the way they see themselves and the world. I help clients decrease traumatic memories and other intrusive symptoms, improve self-esteem, learn to set boundaries, and obtain a sense of being grounded in their own bodies. It isn’t just about changes in emotional and psychological symptoms but physical responses that occur when a person thinks about their trauma history. This allows clients to see themselves as survivors, gather courage and begin living life to the fullest. I also use polyvagal techniques, Emotional Freedom Technique, and building spiritual wellness within oneself to help my clients move towards a well-rounded sense of healing. Each person gets to decide what is right for them on their own journey.
I see this work as an honor and a privilege. I understand that EMDR and therapy, in general, are most effective when my clients feel safe enough to share their stories with me and I pride myself on building good therapeutic rapport.
My Background
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker committed to trauma-focused therapy with a mindfulness-based approach. I have a Masters's degree in Social Work from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. I completed my undergraduate studies in English, Creative Writing, and World Religion at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I am an EMDRIA-trained EMDR Practitioner. I previously worked in special education where I learned that the system was broken and the students often needed counseling support that was unavailable through the school. I also worked with survivors of Intimate Partner Violence at an agency in Eugene.
I use holistic and spirit-based somatic therapies and EMDR to address:
Childhood Neglect & Trauma
Narcissistic Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Intimate Partner Violence
Religious Trauma
The relationship between trauma and substance abuse
Gender & Sexual Identity Oppression
Other types of traumatic experiences
Life after 12 Step programs
Women’s issues including menopause and aging
Being affected by someone else’s substance abuse
Adoption
Grief and Loss
How I Practice
I focus primarily on working with people who have experienced childhood neglect and trauma, sexual abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, religious trauma, gender and sexual identity oppression, and other types of traumatic experiences. Sex-worker positive.
I use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) as my primary treatment modality and also place a strong emphasis on teaching my clients holistic modalities: EFT, Somatic Experiencing, breathing techniques, and other mindfulness tools to align the body/mind/spirit connection and empower them in their own healing journeys.
Trauma and substance abuse often go hand in hand and I work with people who are examining their own substance use, or who have broken away from substance abuse treatment communities that no longer serve them.
While I am not a drug and alcohol counselor, I can help clients examine the link between substance abuse and trauma. I offer safe space for this work for those who have not experienced success or felt supported in recovery settings that had no framework for discussions of trauma and its impact on substance abuse. I am joyfully sober.
