My approach to supporting healing
I use EMDR as my primary treatment modality and also place a strong emphasis on teaching you holistic modalities including Tapping, somatic healing, and applied polyvagal tools to empower you in your own healing journey. In layperson’s terms, these are commonly known as mindfulness practices. These tools help regulate your autonomic nervous system which allows you to make the present moment bearable and have a calm body so that you can have a calm mind.
“Mindfulness is always at the core of just about any program that I know that works for trauma.” - Bessel van der Kolk
Using EMDR to process traumatic memories allows you to change the way you see yourself, your past, and the world. This combination of EMDR and somatic healing allows you to see yourself as a survivor and enlarge your self-healing journey so that you can live as your best and highest self.
I also use psychoeducation to teach you how trauma lives in the mind and body and then I teach you tools for self-regulation so you feel empowered in addressing triggers, flashbacks, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation.
I feel honored and privileged when my clients feel safe enough to share their journeys with me. I believe that I have been called by Spirit to do this sacred work.
What is trauma?
Trauma comes from the Greek word meaning wound. It is anything that is too much, too soon, or too fast for the mind or body to handle. Many people may refer to Big T and Little t trauma but each person experiences these things differently and I do not define trauma in that way. I trust thas that each person who comes to me feels wounded by their own experience and I support you as you unpack that.
Trauma can be things like experiencing intimate partner violence; domestic violence by a parent/caregiver, sibling or other family member; sexual violence; natural disasters; witnessing violence or traumatic events that occur to others; childhood physical and/or emotional neglect; near-death experiences; chronic illness and pain; experiencing racist or LGBTQ violence; and religious or spiritual abuse.
Other traumatic experiences can be bullying; shaming by educators related to learning disabilities, or just being different from other students; social isolation; living with poverty; being adopted or giving a child up for adoption; having a family member who struggles with substance abuse or mental illness; hearing about traumatic events that happen to others; being a caregiver for someone who is ill; systemic abuse and bias; and being shamed for your own mental illness or substance abuse.
The list is endless and no one can define for you what your trauma is Not. I hope that you hear that and take it to heart. My role is to validate for you that you have experienced trauma and help you to identify how these experiences have affected you.
Getting Started
I offer a complimentary 45-minute consultation so that you can get a feel for who I am and whether you think we would be a good fit.
Therapeutic rapport is critical to the healing process and I require potential clients to make use of the consultation.
A typical session can range from one hour to 90 minutes. Especially when doing EMDR, I want to make sure that my clients never leave feeling that we have not contained the memories and emotions that come up during the session. EMDR intensives (usually 3+ hours) are available for those who would like to dive in deeply and do processing on multiple events at one time.
Once a client has decided to move forward and work with me, we work together to identify the goals of the client as well as the emotional and interpersonal skills they would like to build upon.
Fees
I currently accept Moda, Providence, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Pacific Source commercial, and all OHP plans. I offer a sliding scale of $70-140 per session for private pay clients. Please contact me if you would like to be added to the waitlist for your insurance.
I accept payment through Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, and accept cash and checks. Payment can be discussed during the initial consultation.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation is addressed on a case by case basis as I understand that sometimes life happens beyond our control and I trust that my clients value my time as much as I value theirs.
“Healing is never complete until we have been truly heard. May the universe send you someone who will sincerely care to listen.”
— Anthon St. Maarten