Mind and Body Therapy

We heal when we are in rhythm with nature, with PURPOSE, but not in a linear path. Similar to the spiral shell of a nautilus, we dynamically shift inward and outward in our growth. Obstacles and fears push us to retreat deep inside ourselves, yet we are designed for connection, for relationships.
With help from someone you trust, you can once again find safety in the world. Together we face fears and emotions, bringing light into the dark spaces within. We keep growing, like the larger chambers of the nautilus. Yet all the while we must protect ourselves, not abandoning what remains guarded within … until our minds and bodies are ready to gently release it.

I believe we were created for human connection…and in these relationships, we find healing. It is never too late to process pain and embrace life as your true self. I have advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and am aligned with polyvagal theory, attachment theory and neurobiology, internal family systems (IFS), and mindfulness-based stress reduction, and somatic psychology. My approach is to work with my clients’ inherent ability to heal through the mind and body, calming the nervous system, to find strength and freedom while embracing vulnerability.

EMDR Therapy is a framework in my counseling, not merely an intervention. EMDR is an evidence-based treatment modality best known for treating the effects of trauma (including abuse and neglect) and post-traumatic stress. It is effective for working with depression, grief, anxiety, phobias, and many other conditions. Using bilateral stimulation, EMDR aids the mind and body in processing distressing memories and reconsolidating them as history rather than continuing to impact your present and future.

Mindfulness is an invitation to become a friend to yourself. You are intrinsically whole and beautiful whether you recognize it or not. Developing a mindfulness practice will help you become aware of this truth and embody it.

When you practice mindfulness, you are more fully experiencing living. The practice is about being, not about doing.

We tend to live within our heads, ignoring the experience of the rest of our bodies. Our fast-paced culture encourages and rewards independence and autonomy. Yet when you devote your discipline to mindful living, in connection with others, you begin to feel the love of living. Each moment matters. How you are living your life in each of these moments matters. Stop thinking, worrying, and feeling stuck in your head… and grow your wisdom through being, and through experiencing.

You will learn to inhabit THIS MOMENT, right now.

I utilize a psychodynamic approach of ego state therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS), allowing you to explore your own unique inner world. Curiosity is a beautiful tool to understand why your mind developed as it did.

We all create various parts or versions of ourselves – this is normal development and becomes our biology and personality. All parts of your personality were created with good intent, even if they are now causing problems. You may be frustrated with a particular pattern of behavior in your life, such as repeatedly choosing the wrong intimate partners or turning to junk food or alcohol to cope with stress. You may hate the part of you that is overcome with anxiety in social settings. You might wake up with a positive attitude only to feel like something inside takes over leaving you lonely and in a state of despair for the next few days.

We will explore the parts of your personality that developed out of necessity or protection, usually early in life, and were in some way useful at one time. Because most parts of our personalities developed when we were young, they hold unsophisticated defense mechanisms, such as responding impulsively or defensively, overreacting, or shutting down to get a need met.

My therapy approach integrates IFS and ego state work to gain insight and a deeper understanding of your personality. It allows us to work through the barriers where we feel stuck, processing any anger, resentment, and pain held within. Great freedom is found in processing the burdens the different parts of you continue to carry.

Attachment injuries can happen within any healthy or unhealthy family but are especially prominent with childhood abuse or neglect. Sometimes there is a combined wound of attachment injuries and other traumatic experiences within complex PTSD. For example, parents who are incredibly good and loving may have been unable to sufficiently nurture you during childhood, or not protect you from harmful people or experiences.

Perhaps you developed in an environment of chaos, rejection, fear, or emotional neglect. You may continue to experience a negative impact on your physical and emotional health. You may also believe no one can love you, that you are broken, or that it is impossible to connect with or trust others.

Many approaches to counseling fail to address what remains stored inside the body, leaving you feeling hostage within your own body. With a somatic psychology orientation, we work together to understand what your body is holding onto and the physical dysregulation you experience.

Therapy with a somatic psychology orientation does not require the use of touch in counseling sessions. Rather it involves engaging your awareness of your own body as part of the therapeutic process. Somatic techniques help us work with the connections between your mind, your brain, your body, and your behavior. Most “talk therapy” focuses on the mind to impact behavior, emotion, and psychological health. However, to find deeper and long-lasting healing, it is effective to gain insight through the body’s sensations and incorporate the basic functions of the nervous system within therapy.