My mission is to facilitate deep emotional healing, help others tap into their strengths, move gracefully through challenges and restore joyfulness of being. My approach is person-centered and strength-based. I attune my therapeutic approach to meet clients where they are in their process and collaborate together to reach positive goals. I recognize and honor my client’s strengths and cultivate an environment of safety, trust and validation.

I was trained in EMDR in Boulder by Julie Green, LPC and trained in Brainspotting in Santa Fe by Robert Weisz, Ph.D. In my own practice, I utilize both techniques because of their powerful effectiveness in treating emotional problems that can otherwise take years to alleviate with other treatment modalities. I incorporate mindfulness-based practices into my work as powerful tools to manage difficult emotions and challenging life situations.

EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) was discovered by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. She discovered that she could access deeper processing and release emotional disturbance through repeated bilateral eye movement. It is now recognized as an evidence based practice that has successfully treated millions of people around the world. EMDR is an integrative treatment that incorporates psychodynamic, body centered, experiential and cognitive behavioral therapies. EMDR has been particularly useful with trauma survivors and people suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) but it has also been successful with other emotional issues. This includes panic attacks, phobias, performance anxiety, disturbing memories, stress reduction, addictions, sexual and/or physical abuse, personality disorders, complicated grief, disassociated disorders, eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorders.

Neuroscience studies have shown that the brain does not process information like it normally does when the person is very upset and distressed. When the experience does not get properly incorporated and processed through, it gets stuck in the nervous system. This can cause many different problems that are often the cause of deeper psychological and emotional symptoms. EMDR targets memories that carry disturbance in the system and incorporates new adaptive information that helps release the disturbance. While the memory might remain, the feelings that are associated with the memory get processed through relieving the person of significant emotional distress and restoring a more integrated sense of self. Clients have reported feeling like themselves for the first time in many years. They have identified a new sense of freedom and have access to a richer range of creative expression and well-being. To learn more, please visit www.emdria.org and www.emdr.com.

Brainspotting

Brainspotting was developed by David Grand, Ph.D, as an effective tool to process and release challenging symptoms stored in the body that the conscious mind cannot access. It is similar to EMDR in that it is another powerful neuropsychological tool to support the healing process. The treatment of Brainspotting is different and is sometimes preferred over EMDR by clients who are familiar with both approaches. Brainspotting consists of several components. First it includes mindful awareness of sensations and feelings in the body. Secondly it involves focusing on a designated eye position that is found in the field of vision to target the energetic/emotional charge that is distressing. And last but not least is the therapeutic relationship that provides safety, support and guidance. Bilateral stimulation is used in the form of calming music to support the process. When all components are working together, it creates the right environment for deep emotional processing where the body is able to release the distress from the nervous system, providing profound relief from challenging symptoms. To learn more, please visit www.brainspotting.com.

Mindfulness-Based Practices

Learning how to cultivate a loving and healthy relationship with others and ourselves takes a quality of attention and mindfulness. It is important to have the tools to navigate through the whirlwind of difficult emotions and challenging life events. A mindfulness-based practice helps focus the mind and gently calls us back to center. It can be used at all times whether it is to cultivate a deeper sense of connection with ourselves, or when we most need a lifeline to sanity in the midst of chaos.

Many practices come from eastern wisdom traditions. The practices I find the most helpful are rooted in practicality, non-judgment and openness. When mindfulness is cultivated on a regular basis, it brings a greater sense of peace, harmony and stability. Robert Weisz, Ph.D stated that overtime through mindful attention of ones experience, the neural networks in our brain changes and becomes more receptive to the flow of energy and information. To learn more, please visit www.freemindfulness.org.

“Interrupting our disruptive habits and awakening our hearts is the work of a lifetime.” -Pema Chodron