“Trauma is an internal straight jacket created when a devastating moment is frozen in time. It stifles the unfolding of being, and strangles our attempts to move forward with our lives. It disconnects us from ourselves, others, nature and spirit. When overwhelmed by threat, we are frozen in fear, as though our instinctive survival energies were ‘all dressed up with no place to go’.” – Peter Levine, Ph.D.

• Do you find yourself struggling with intense emotions and reactions?
• Triggered by past trauma/abuse, old wounds, or stuck in toxic relationship patterns?
• Struggling with a loss of intimacy or connection with loved ones?
• Limited by shame, low self-worth, self-criticism, codependency or a sense of not deserving more?
• Noticing physical tension, pain, frequent illnesses or strange symptoms you don’t understand?
• Realizing that the old ways of coping are not working anymore?

I have trained in approaches that address all phases of trauma healing, from building safety and stabilization (through emotion regulation, distress tolerance, impulse control, and relational trust) to trauma processing, renegotiation and resolution. I want to help you re-pattern and teach your nervous system what it can feel like to be safe and stable using the skills I have honed in trauma resolution. I recognize the importance of working sensitively with survivors of trauma, abuse, and assault. It is not about “what is wrong with you” but “what has happened to you and how you’ve adapted to survive” and, more importantly, “what can we do to support your healing moving forward.”

My areas of specialization include:

• Complex early developmental trauma, birth/peri-natal trauma, PTSD, and ongoing abuse and neglect/abandonment
• Shock trauma (motor vehicle accident, near death, falls, injury, medical trauma, inescapable attack, physical or sexual assault, natural disaster, horror, war, genocide)
• Chronic stress, physical symptoms and body memory
• Toxic, co-dependent or insecure relationship dynamics
• Family of origin issues (such as: dynamics with siblings, neglect or abandonment, or anxious, dysregulated, cold, controlling, angry, chaotic or narcissistic parents or caregivers)
• Shame, dissociation, identity issues and sense of self
• Associated concerns (anxiety, panic, hypervigilance, fear, anger, depression, grief, triggers, flashbacks, etc.)
• Dissociation and separation from self, others and the world
• Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and occupational stress injury

If you chose, some of the work we do might include:

• Exploring and/or restoring self-protective responses, such as orienting, fight, flight, freeze, surrender and submit
• Understanding power and control dynamics
• Systemic factors related to intergenerational trauma or trauma occurring in a particular group, community or institution
• Restoring a more whole sense of self
• Exploring anger, empowerment and healthy aggression
• Building tolerance for discomfort as well as joy and pleasure
• Looking at relationship and attachment with caregivers, friends, partners and colleagues
• Developing greater present moment awareness, presence and attunement with others and restoring your ability to have flexible boundaries