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Trauma Therapy

You deserve to feel like yourself again.

When you’ve lived through a traumatic experience, life can feel unsteady, uncertain, and like you’re constantly living “on alert.” Together, we’ll build tools to calm the body, revise unhelpful beliefs, and set boundaries that protect your energy.

I use an integrative, trauma-informed approach focused on nervous system regulation, exploring your experience with care, and developing concrete tools for managing triggers. We work at a pace that feels safe, manageable, and fully supported.

You might be experiencing:

Feeling on edge, jumpy, or unable to relax
Nightmares, intrusive memories, or flashbacks
Avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you
Numb, disconnected, or “checked out”
Sudden panic or waves of dread
Trouble sleeping or staying asleep
Irritability, anger, or startle response
Headaches, stomach issues, chest tightness
Guilt, shame, or self‑blame
Difficulty trusting others or setting boundaries
Grief after harm by a person or institution (school, family, church, workplace)
Vicarious trauma or job‑related exposure (healthcare, first responders, educators)

Things We Can Work on Together

Evidence-based strategies to settle the body, calm the mind, and forge a resilient path forward.

Nervous System Regulation

Grounding Skills

Trigger Mapping

Flashback Tools

Nightmares

Avoidance Cycles

Hyper-Vigilance

Startle Response

Somatic Symptoms

Disassociation

Panic Spikes

Shame/Guilt

Boundaries

Safety-Planning

Pacing/Titration

Exposure

Memory Processing

Self-Compassion

Grief Integration

Vicarious Trauma

Moral Injury

Relationship Repair

How I Can Help

I use an integrative, trauma-informed approach that incorporates elements of CBT, ACT, DBT, mindfulness, and self-compassion to help settle the nervous system, explore your experience with care, and develop concrete tools for managing both predictable triggers and unexpected ones. We work at a pace that feels safe, manageable, and fully supported.

For trauma, we often focus on:

Regulating “fight/flight/freeze” in the body
Recognizing and anticipating predictable triggers
Coping plans for unpredictable triggers
Grounding and orientation tools (brief and portable)
Sleep support and nightmare protocols
Reducing avoidance while staying safe
Boundary language and protection strategies
Gentle, stepwise exposure/processing when appropriate
Self‑compassion to counter shame and self‑blame

Real hope

From Struggling to Healing and Thriving

Working in a busy hospital, a provider felt overwhelmed by her heavy schedule, productivity expectations, and the emotional weight of providing care with limited resources. She became burned out, helpless, and disconnected from the work she once loved. Together, we added short reset practices, clarified sustainable boundaries, and created a protected space to process what she was carrying. Her sense of capacity returned, burnout eased, and her “overwhelm days” significantly decreased.

Following a physical assault at work, she felt constantly on edge and avoided the building. We built a daily grounding routine, created a plan for predictable triggers, and introduced brief, stepwise exposure. Panic eased, and she could return without spiraling.

Following a serious car accident, he went six months without driving and continued to have nightmares and flashbacks anytime he got behind the wheel, even on familiar streets. We worked on understanding how trauma manifests in the body, practiced grounding skills he could use inside the car, and set up a brief, repeated exposure plan to rebuild confidence. Over time, his sleep improved, and he returned to driving on all roads, including highways, without fear.

When he shared beliefs that differed from his family and faith community, he was shunned and left feeling ashamed, rejected, alone, and powerless. We explored how these experiences created a traumatic emotional response, identified clear boundaries for contact, and used self-compassion to soften blame and internalized criticism. Over time, he reconnected with supportive people while staying true to her own voice.

Ready to get started?
Let's take the first step together.

Fill out our quick form and I’ll reach out with a phone call.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to tell my whole story?

No. You own your story, and you never have to share anything you want to keep private. We move at a pace that feels safe to you. Most of the time, we start with skills first and decide together what to share and when.

What if I get overwhelmed in a session?

We work at a pace designed to minimize overwhelm, but if strong feelings come up, we’ll pause and use grounding skills to help you regain equilibrium. From there, we’ll decide together on the next best step so you continue to feel safe, supported, and in control of the process.

How long does trauma therapy take?

It varies. The length of therapy depends on factors like the impact of the trauma, how long it has been since the experience, prior therapy, and the strength of your support system. Many people notice some relief within a few sessions. Processing deeper material often takes longer. We set goals together, create realistic expectations and check in regularly to track progress.

Will we do exposure therapy?

Sometimes. When useful, we may use stepwise exposure or processing at a pace you can handle, with strong stabilization in place.

What if my trauma involves a person or institution I still have to see?

We’ll start by clarifying your goals and expectations for any ongoing contact. From there, we’ll create a strategic plan to help you navigate difficult interactions with self-compassion and in a way that protects your boundaries and emotional well-being.

Do you work with kids and teens for trauma?

Yes. I have over 25 years of experience supporting children and teens who have experienced trauma. I adapt trauma-informed tools to each child’s developmental stage and involve caregivers in ways that are helpful and appropriate. For teens, we balance privacy with parent involvement and review confidentiality limits together at the start.

Do you treat vicarious trauma or moral injury?

Yes. I have extensive experience in this area. I spent 12 years working in a Level One trauma hospital and am very familiar with the impact of vicarious trauma and moral injury on healthcare providers and staff. I offer practical tools, grounding strategies, and a supportive space to process the emotional load of this work.