somatic therapy

I’m passionate about employing a holistic approach to therapy, and within that, understanding how psychological distress or emotional imbalances can often show up in our bodies. Part of our work together will be slowing things down to allow you to tune into inner sensations, and thus recognize how experiences can show up somatically (in your body) and in your nervous system. While people tend to interpret certain body sensations/emotions as a negative sign, physical or emotional discomfort can be important signifiers of underlying issues that our systems are asking us to pay attention to. Together, we’ll practice tuning into the wisdom of your body, to allow it to guide you towards a more attuned place within yourself. My ongoing training towards SEP certification with Somatic Experiencing International, as well as experiences with energy/body work inform this area of how I practice.

IFS-informed/parts work

“Parts” work is a therapeutic approach that embraces the belief that each of us has many different parts to our mind, psyche and being. When we can more deeply understand the multiplicity of ourselves, we can shift how we perceive and respond to different parts, opening up a range of possibilities in how we allows ourselves to heal and grow. Often times, we may shun parts of ourselves that we see as weak, damaged or undesirable— by working with and learning to integrate all of our unique parts, we can deepen our own self-compassion and awareness of our authentic self. Trainings and readings by the IFS institute, Janina Fisher and Frank Anderson all inform this aspect of how I practice.

attachment-based therapy

Founded in attachment theory, attachment-based therapy explores how early relational patterns within our families of origin shape our ability to connect and bond with others. By learning about and understanding our attachment system, we can better understand unconscious dynamics that influence our capacity and patterns in relationships and with ourselves. Through moving towards secure attachment in therapy, we can achieve better communication, trust and closeness in our relationships, as well as improve our understanding of our attachment style, and therefore ourself.

trauma-informed therapy

Treating trauma requires fostering recognition and understanding of how deeply trauma can affect a person in mind, body and spirit as well as their overall mental health. Trauma-informed therapy emphasizes supporting the client to feel self-empowered by learning how to recognize and cope with the symptoms of trauma, how to reintegrate traumatic memories/experiences, and how to proactively avoid re-traumatization through recognizing choice and boundaries. In large part this is done by supporting the client to create a sense of safety in their body, in tandem with working on emotional and psychological healing.

eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a unique, evidence-based therapy practice used to treat trauma, PTSD, and other issues such as anxiety, depression and panic disorders. A core part of EMDR is the use of bi-lateral stimulation (BLS), which is done through eye movements, tapping and/or audible tones to reprocess emotions, thoughts and somatic feelings around one or multiple distressing events. I am an EMDR Certified Therapist through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).

For more information, please visit www.emdria.org