Primary Areas of Focus
Trauma, PTSD, and Complex Trauma
Trauma is an experience—or series of experiences—that overwhelms our ability to cope and can affect how our brain, body, emotions, and relationships respond afterward. Trauma responses are often protective responses that have continued even though the original danger has passed… often like the “yuck is stuck”. If you are feeling triggered often or experiencing trauma responses, I can help you find ways to help regulate your nervous system and/or process your trauma in a safe and healthy way and space.
Anxiety/Depression
Hypervigilence, On guard
Easily startled
Restlessness, feeling keyed-up
Sleep disturbances
Difficulty concentrating
Nightmare and/or Flashbacks
Avoidance
Emotional numbness, feeling detached
Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
Chronic Pain and Illness/Mystery Illness
Are you suffering from chronic pain or illness? Do you have an autoimmune disorder that is invisible to the outside world? Or maybe you have a “mysterious illness” that doctors haven’t been able to find a name for? While I am not a doctor and do not provide medical advice, I have both personal experience in navigating the world of mysterious illness along with professional experience in helping clients process the fears, frustrations, and the emotional rollercoaster of seeking answers while still living a balanced life. If you are looking for a safe space to process what you are feeling about your illness and/or are interested in exploring the mind/body connection, I would be honored to listen and encourage you on this journey.
Chronic Pain
Chronic Illness
Chronic Symptoms
Mystery Illness/Symptoms
Medical Trauma
Grief over Health
Adjustment/Change
Adjustment/Transition, and Grief
Have you experienced a recent life change and are finding it difficult to adjust to this transition? Even positive stressors (moving, graduating, marriage, having a baby, etc.) are still stressors! It is completely normal to have an “adjustment period” where it may be more challenging than expected to adapt to your “new normal”. If this briefly describes what you are experiencing, I would love to help you process your experience and find ways to adapt and THRIVE in your new normal.
GRIEF: Grief can be an agonizing experience and is often frustrating because there is no instruction manual for how to heal through grief. Grief is not linear, and everybody’s healing journey is different. If you are experiencing a loss (death of a loved one, divorce, miscarriage, change in career, moving from a place you loved, etc.) and are looking for a safe space to grieve, I would be honored to provide that space for you.
Change/Transition/Adjustment
Reality vs. Expectations
GRIEF
Emotional Regulation
Anxiety/Depression/Anger
Healthy Coping
Additional Services
Counseling from a Biblical Perspective
For many of us, our faith and spirituality are the foundation for how we live our lives. Are you interested in integrating a Christian perspective into your counseling sessions? Maybe you aren’t sure what you believe and you’re searching for answers? It’s possible you know what you believe, but it’s been awhile since you’ve felt God’s presence, or you may feel stagnant in your faith journey. Whatever the case may be, if you’re struggling with your faith walk, I’d be honored to help you explore this and to point you to Jesus.
**I am a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and enjoy staying informed through biblically based mental health training and continuing education.
Eye Movement Densitization and Reprocessing
WHAT IS EMDR?
EMDR is a treatment modality that uses bilateral stimulation to help clients regulate their nervous system and process distressing symptoms and/or traumatic memories and experiences.
Click below to READ more about EMDR:
Click below to WATCH a video about EMDR:
Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET)
Sometimes, when we’ve been through stressful, painful, or overwhelming experiences, we learn to push certain feelings away, keep the peace, stay strong for other people, or avoid emotions that feel uncomfortable. Those strategies may have helped us get through difficult situations, but over time, emotions that haven’t been acknowledged or expressed can continue to affect us.
EAET helps us explore those emotions and understand how they affect your thoughts, body, relationships, and behavior. We practice recognizing and expressing emotions in a safe, constructive way so they don't have to stay bottled up or come out in an unhealthy way.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy
PRT is a way of helping your brain and body change the way they respond to pain. When pain has been around for a long time, the nervous system can become more sensitive and start responding as if there is danger, even when the body is actually safe. That doesn't mean the pain isn't real. It means your brain may have become very good at protecting you—and sometimes it can become overly protective.
Together, we will look at how pain, fear, stress, attention, and the nervous system can interact. We’ll practice noticing sensations without immediately assuming they mean something is wrong, and we’ll gradually build new experiences of safety. Think of it as helping your brain update its alarm system. The alarm is real, but it may be going off too easily… like a smoke alarm that goes off from steam in the shower. We're working on teaching the alarm when it needs to go off and when it can stand down.
The goal is to help you feel less afraid of your symptoms, feel more confident in your body, and ultimately reduce the impact that pain has on your life.