Areas of Focus

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So much anxiety, depression, and low self esteem is internalized messages about our identity from the world, keeping us from knowing ourselves. Race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, disability +++ all impact our experiences of the world and simultaneously the world's treatment of us. I find that so much power and freedom comes from being able to notice these unstated realities and bring them into our conscious awareness.

Queerness, Transness, 2Spiritedness for many of us are core to our being even if it took many years to find the language to know ourselves. I am honored to be a part of and love working with others in this community. If you believe we have some community crossover, please let me know so that we can discuss it openly and make a plan for the way forward.

Our neurotypes are not something we can turn on and off, no matter how much we have learned to mask. Whether you are curious if neurodivergence is a part of your experience or you know it is, I would love to know so that I am providing you the most attuned services possible.

The impacts of even a one time trauma can be vast -- sometimes resulting in low self-esteem, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, dissociation, flashbacks, body memories, loss of memory, difficulty sleeping, chronic pain, self harm, suicidal thoughts, etc. These experiences are often the nervous system trying to process and clear the experience while also turning into a protection system to ensure the experience never happens again. Trauma-informed practices help us notice the innate wisdom of the body to protect while also (re)learning ways to soothe and notice signs of safety.

Repetitive trauma, especially early in life, forms what we think of as personality, ways of thinking about the world, and how we engage in relationships. In order to be trauma-informed, treatment of Complex Trauma is often long, slow work that takes many years of practice and new learning in order to experience relief. Let's start chipping away at it together.

Some people feel like there is no hope once language like "personality disorder" comes up; however, if seen in context of complex trauma, there is a way forward. Through psychoeducation about the impacts of trauma on you and your life, practice of new skills, the hard work and courage of incorporating those new skills into every day life, and a deep desire for change, healing is possible.

Dissociation is an incredible survival skill that, when active regularly and in significant ways, can wreak a lot of havoc and create a lot of confusion in our lives. Whether you are feeling distant and removed from yourself and your life or whether you are losing time, there are practices of getting to know more about why these experiences may be occurring so that you can have more sense of choice and agency in your life. I work from a plural positive perspective, centering client consent and wisdom regarding integration.

If trauma by dogmatic belief and/or organized groups is a part of your journey, you may experience multiple symptoms and experiences described on this page. Maybe others as well. Complex trauma by organized means can have additional layers of implication to the therapy and it can be important to work with someone with experience and training working with these layers.

I understand that some people have lived many lives and serving in the U.S. Military Industrial System is one of those past lives for many of us. Veterans who want to work through the ways they contributed to and were harmed by this system are most welcome at my practice.