Individual Therapy Services
Life hits hard and at some point in our lives we all need some help.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
Have you experienced the worst this life has to offer? Most of us will go through some kind of traumatic event at some point in our lives. Some of these experiences will fade and go away with time. Others refuse to budge and leave us with wounds and psychological scars that refuse to heal. Symptoms often include flashbacks, nightmares, night terrors, intrusive memories, somatic (physical) symptoms that can include chronic pain, strange aches, body memories, and significant avoidance of familiar activities and places. Other symptoms that affect our relationships and functioning may include "jumpiness", anger outbursts, panic attacks, unexplained fear, and severe relationship issues caused by symptoms we may not even be aware of.
Over the past 30 years or so EMDR therapy has changed the landscape of trauma counseling and psychotherapy in regards to traumatic stress, PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), anxiety, grief counseling, depression, eating disorders, and other severe and problematic issues we often deal with. EMDR has been proven to be a gentle, fast, and effective treatment for many conditions that result in severe anxiety and depression. EMDR, originally developed by Francine Shapiro, was developed for the treatment of PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), but has expanded to treat many other issues and conditions that upend our lives and interfere with our relationships. Over the decades EMDR has expanded to help clients dealing with not only trauma, but chronic pain, often a result of traumatic stress, also.
I am a Certified EMDR therapist and a EMDRIA approved Consultant. I have been certified by EMDRIA, the EMDR regulating body, as a proficient EMDR therapist, able to help patients overcome symptoms of trauma and traumatic stress.
IMPORTANT!
Many victims of childhood trauma, often referred to as "complex trauma", EMDR sometimes needs a little help. That is why I am also trained in Ego State / Resource State Therapies, Mindfulness strategies, and certified in Clinical Hypnotherapy. Resource State Therapy helps access those parts of us that are so injured, they feel completely unsafe. Resource State Therapy helps these wounded parts feel safe and allow healing to take place.
CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPY
As effective as EMDR is, occasionally we "wall off" part of our lives and experience. This is a function designed into our brain to help us survive life events that might be otherwise unbearable. This is called dissociation and, as strange as it may sound, is a strategy to maintain equilibrium, locking out of our consciousness, traumatic life events. As a trauma therapist, I daily work with traumatized children and adolescents that have lived through "real life" nightmares. They are doing the best they can to survive the events they have been exposed to. Often the best survival strategy is to block out of their minds, the traumas they have experienced. Many have experienced attachment wounds at the hands of the people in their lives who's job it is to protect and nurture them. Many have been the victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and abandonment by parents, family members, foster parents, and other caregivers that have failed them.
Often, when we hear the word hypnotherapy, or hypnosis, our minds immediately drift back to a Hollywood show involving a stage hypnotist and a group of volunteers from the audience that have agreed to allow the hypnotist turn them into clucking chickens, barking dogs, or rock stars on stage. While this type of hypnotherapy exists, it is a far cry from clinical hypnotherapy used in modern therapy today.
Clinical Hypnotherapy helps clients relax their minds and bodies, while increasing their ability to focus their minds. When relaxed, the client is able to achieve increased insight and objectivity, aiding in healing childhood traumas and releasing dissociated memories and life events.
Often, when I first see traumatized clients, they are completely unable to relax. Without the ability to relax their minds and bodies, therapy is often not effective. Clinical Hypnotherapy has been proven as an Evidenced-Based treatment for many stress, anxiety, and trauma issues.
DBT
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a relative of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and closely follows the Cognitive Triangle so well known in Cognitive Therapies. Dialectical Behavior Therapy was developed by Marsha Linehan and rather than cognitive (thought aspects, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) puts its focus on the emotional aspects. As a DBT therapist, I often see clients who struggle with emotional regulation and interpersonal relationships. Often the most troubled interpersonal relationships are with family members and those we are close to. DBT stresses four major components: Emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal relationships, and my favorite Mindfulness.
Often victims of abuse, especially childhood abuse have developed survival skills that are less than helpful in their lives and relationships. Emotional outbursts, anger, manipulation, depression, self-harm, and suicidality are not uncommon. Adolescents frequently self-harm for several reasons. Especially with victims of abuse, suicide sometimes seems the only option for them. Unfortunately, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. DBT helps clients learn better and more effective coping skills and ways of regulating their emotions and mindset that ultimately heals relationships and minds.
While dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is not a recognized "stand alone" trauma therapy, I am a certified DBT therapist and often integrate DBT into trauma therapy or when treating anxiety or depression.