my mission
Equipped with compassion, care, and a sense of humor, it is my goal for you to feel supported, heard, and find moments of laughter as you move through your work. I see therapy as teamwork, and I'll be by your side as you navigate the change that has occurred in your life. Let's get started!
“Power of Empathy: I’m in it with you. I’m not here to fix you. I’m not here to feel it for you. I’m here to feel with you and let you know you’re not alone.”
my approach
I specialize in working with adults who have endured a trauma, or are experiencing a life transition. The kind of events where there is a clear indication of what your life was like before the trauma or transition took place, and a clear indication of what your life is like after. Examples include, but are not limited to: grief and loss, an accident, marriage, a health diagnosis, a move, divorce, and so on.
My approach is goal oriented, and starting at your first session, I will ask you to pinpoint the change and results you wish to see. During our work, I will build upon your existing strengths (you've made it this far on your own—you're doing something right!), by applying personally tailored approaches and techniques. These approaches and techniques will help you gain insight and perspective, learn coping skills and strategies to help manage the many curveballs in life, and in turn, make the necessary adjustments to achieve your goals and live a happier day to day.
“The wound is where the light enters you.”
trauma and first responders
As a trauma therapist, a large part of my practice has been devoted to working with first responders, mostly police officers. Since we aren’t all law enforcement officers, we often forget that cops are the first present when human beings are at their absolute worst.
Reflect on that for a minute.
It is the police that navigate the devastation: the physical, mental, and emotional devastation. It is the police that have to witness injury and death. It is the police that have to tell family members that their loved one didn’t make it. Even for the most well intentioned cop that truly wants to help make this world a better place, it is a challenge to be immersed in the worst of humanity.
Interestingly, police officers have historically faced intense stigma in seeking any kind of support or mental health treatment. So much so, that many cops simply don’t seek help, even if they know they need it. Where does this leave those that are struggling?
EMDR can help police officers. EMDR is helpful in managing the symptoms of a variety of issues, such as: anxiety, panic attacks, complicated grief, and stress reduction. Keep scrolling to learn more!
“Bravery is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of fear.”
EMDR therapy
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is described by Psychology Today (2019) as a:
“…unique, nontraditional form of psychotherapy designed to diminish negative feelings associated with memories of traumatic events. Unlike most forms of talk therapy, EMDR focuses less on the traumatic event itself and more on the disturbing emotions and symptoms that result from the event.”
How can EMDR make me feel better?
Research has proven EMDR to be an effective treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, it has been found that EMDR is helpful in managing the symptoms of a variety of issues, such as: anxiety, panic attacks, complicated grief, and stress reduction.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
As is the case for traditional psychotherapy, the first 1-3 sessions will determine if the therapist and client are a good fit, but also if the client is a good fit for EMDR therapy. In addition, this time is an opportunity for the therapist to talk more in-depth about the EMDR process and what to expect, as well as answer any questions from the client.
So, how does EMDR work?
We don’t know exactly how or why EMDR works. We just know that it does from extensive research. EMDRIA details the process of EMDR as the:
…client calls to mind the disturbing issue or event in detail, and what thoughts and beliefs are currently held about that event. The therapist facilitates the directional movement of the eyes...while the client focuses on the disturbing material, and the client just notices whatever comes to mind...sets of eye movements are continued until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with positive thoughts and beliefs...
This video is a great example of EMDR! →