Individual Therapy

I work with clients who are suffering from symptoms of developmental and complex trauma, PTSD (sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, dissociation, racial trauma, etc). I also help bring awareness to complex issues of attachment disorders, depersonalization / derealization, relationship difficulties, codependency issues, etc, while providing tools and skills to promote the healing process.

Consider individual therapy if you experience any of the following:

• High anxiety or problems concentrating.
• Difficulty sleeping or nightmares.
• Experiencing flashbacks.
• Feeling empty or like you are missing something.
• A sense of immaturity or being child-like.
• Disassociation, feeling numb.
• Anger and addiction.
• Relationship issues.

The Therapy Process

I use two approaches during therapy, depending on the client’s individual situation and what they would benefit from the most.

The first is a top-down approach, where I use cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to explore the mind and work through thought patterns. I look at cognitions, such as how the mind is interpreting information, what core beliefs are at work, irrational thought patterns and automatic thoughts, and the presence of cognitive distortions. 

The bottom-up method looks at the information that is stored in the body from traumatic experiences, such as body sensations. This form of therapy focuses on the connection between the body and the mind and what physical symptoms signify. The idea is to tap into and process stored memories that are stuck in the hippocampus, working on the flight, fight, or freeze response.

How Therapy Can Help You

Often times, individuals that have experienced developmental trauma or any form of PTSD don’t feel safe in the world; they lack self-worth and feel undeserving. Through therapy, we bring awareness to inner experiences in the subconscious so that we can work through them and nurture the part of themselves that is stuck at the age of trauma. I give you tools that you can use to self-soothe when you feel unsafe as well as ways to connect to yourself, other people, and the world.