I have been trained in many approaches over the past 30+ years. To name a few: Cognitive Behavioral and Solution Oriented/Brief Therapy. These modalities offer skill building, coping strategies and can be very helpful to deal with many life challenges and psychiatric disorders but I quickly learned additional therapy modalities may be necessary to move you to resolution when these therapies and your efforts are not getting you the results you hope for.
Trauma and tragedy can occur at any age, to anyone. Sometimes we have a single event that can cause great distress. Sadly others suffer from repeated abuse, neglect or painful experiences. Many times this occurs before we even have words or language. We may have no memory of the hard times we lived through. In these cases traditional "talk therapy" will not always be enough.
You have probably heard the terms Fight, Flight and Freeze. All humans are programmed with these survival skills. This is a good thing and it helps us to survive the difficult or even unimaginable. The problem is, when we experience overwhelm our nervous system goes into survival mode and we can become stuck. Many problems can occur. We can hold tension patterns, develop physical ailments, struggle with trusting others, or trust too much. We may withdraw from others or depend too much on others. Our minds can form untrue, negative beliefs about ourselves even though we did nothing wrong or had no ability or way to know how to do things differently. This is when unhealthy coping patterns and behaviors can be developed.
While we can not rewrite your history or change your past, we can change how you react to it, how you experience life in the present and how you see yourself in the here and now. We all have an innate capacity to heal! Sometimes we just need help to get our nervous systems, our natural drive for living, loving and fulfillment back on track.
Here is where some of the other forms of treatment I have been trained in can assist you. I was trained in the use of EMDR in 1999 and began my training in SOMATIC EXPERIENCING in 2005. I later trained in NATURAL PROCESSING an approach that integrates the use of bilateral stimulation (from EMDR) with the focus on Somatic Psychotherapy. These approaches give me the lens to see you as a whole, unique person, without judgment. We all are doing the best we can but because we have experienced struggles we may have developed unhealthy coping patterns, defense mechanisms and/or difficulties in interpersonal relationships. This can effect your health, your work, your relationships and your sense of well-being.
Often people will come to me and talk about their history. Some come in with no sense of worth, belonging or life purpose. Others may know on an intellectual level that their history is not their fault, they are worthy, deserving and lovable, but when triggered their gut sends them a different message that contradicts these beliefs and truths. Our old wounds cause us to have blocking beliefs and an inaccurate, distorted way of seeing ourselves. Often we respond when triggered with unproductive and destructive behaviors and patterns. This is when reworking the past with a different approach can be beneficial to helping you heal so you can get what you desire and want from your life.
Together we can reprocess, release and repair and resolve what has held you back. With a strong attunement to you, your history, your story and how you have learned to cope with your experiences we can move you beyond surviving to thriving.
My approach is gentle and collaborative. We form your goals together and we go at your pace. Isn't it time to let go of what was once a way to cope and survive but no longer serves you so you can live fully in the present? When you are no longer tethered to the past or experiencing the pain of what you have lived, you will feel lighter, more fully alive and ready to live life to the fullest.
Taking the first step to reach out is not always easy, but we can do this journey of exploration, healing and growth together.
