my therapeutic approach

SOMATIC EXPERIENCING

I believe that we all have the wisdoms that we need, and that our bodies do too. Somatic experiencing explores trauma’s impact on the nervous system and provides a window to locate the inherent wisdom in your body and return you to that as a source of support.

Somatic work can be helpful in relieving classic PTSD symptoms related to specific events, as well as more generalized impacts of developmental trauma, or living in as a marginalized person in society. Even certain events that have positive impact in our lives, but are overwhelming, may cause trauma symptoms - such as big life transitions and elective surgeries.

The impacts of holding trauma in your body, or being “stuck” in stress physiology, can show up in many ways. Just a few of the ways this might show up are:

• Often feeling fearful, anxious, or agitated

• Feeling numb or disconnected

• Trouble self-soothing

• Trouble sleeping and/or trouble staying awake

• Anxious/avoidant/disorganized patterns in relationships

• Feeling disconnected from, or fearful of, your body

• Low self-esteem

• Certain auto-immune and medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, IBS, Crohn’s, and migraines. (Please note: I am not a medical expert and can only work with these conditions within the scope of my practice.)

FEMINIST / SOCIAL JUSTICE

It’s important to me as your therapist to be accountable to the power dynamics and social systems that inform our relationship and the way you move through the world. Using a feminist/social justice approach means I’m interested in working with an understanding of the roles that oppression takes in our lives and our healing, including the impact of racism, classism, cissexism, heterosexism, and other sources of inequity.

On my end, this means routinely engaging in self-accountability measures to ensure I’m aware of how my position in the world influences our work together. Together, this means I will support you in your entitlement to move through the world in whatever body, self, and community feel like home, in your ability to endure and resist the forces of power, control, and judgment in society, and in your right to be safe. And outside of our time, I will tirelessly advocate for your right to thrive.

TRAUMA-INFORMED

There are as many types of trauma as there are symptoms of trauma. Negative events and experiences often stay with us long beyond the traumatic moment itself, showing up throughout our daily lives and impacting our ability to feel secure and be present in our world. Using a trauma-informed lens means that we’ll work together to build an awareness of the ways that our trauma can shape our physiological, interpersonal, and emotional experiences, and working through these symptoms of trauma to reclaim a sense of groundedness in our everyday lives.