"Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” ― Peter A. Levine
I have received advanced training in and practice a number of different psychotherapy approaches. One is not necessarily any better than the other, and I often use an integrated approach where we may use several of these therapies during our treatment together to fit your needs.
I talk often about integrating “bottom-up” approaches to psychotherapy with the traditional “top-down” approach to talk therapy. I think we need to get the body and emotions connected to the thinking part of our brain to find transformation and true healing, which is sometimes lacking in talk therapy approaches. Here is a nice article that talks about these approaches, and more about specific therapies I specialize in below,
No matter the approach to therapy, if we believe “the body keeps the score,” we have to get the body response processed to be able to feel long-term wellness. This sometimes happens naturally in some therapies, and sometimes needs more support. I have begun offering other nervous system regulation methods to be to get what disturbance is stored in our bodies to metabolize to a felt sense of wellness. Examples of these might include reiki, yoga, mindfulness, etc.- as it feels reasonable to you to include these practices in your therapy. I am always excited to find what works for you!
EMDR- Eye Movement Reprocessing and Desensitization: EMDR can be a bit challenging to explain, similar to the question, "what is it like to ride a bicycle?" You can only know it when you experience it. It helps many people understand using the analogy of a broken bone, the bone gets broken, a doctor sets it back in place, and over time the bone heals itself. The same can be said with EMDR, an event memory has gotten out of place in the brain, with eye movement or bilateral tapping we can set it back in place, and the traumatic or problematic experience moves towards natural healing. I have received over 150 hours of didactic training in EMDR, my training was not just weekend 1 & 2, but an expanded training over six months with extended consultation and supervision. I am currently a certified EMDR therapist, an approved consultant through EMDRIA (the highest level of endorsement a therapist can receive) and I assist in training other therapists in EMDR.
Order EMDR buzzers: Order here
EMDR testimonial (unsolicited, and of course, the reported experience of only one former client):
“Your facilitation of EMDR and therapy helped my nervous system start to regulate, and I’ve taken those feelings of safety and compassion and run with them to create a kind, loving, and more vibrant life.” … “I felt the work you did with me was key to this. EMDR can be so deep, and you also held that space with such care. It was almost a renegotiation of my attachment to myself, my parents, and the world to a healthier, healed wound way- and I couldn’t even appreciate all of it at the time.”
-used with permission from former client N.B.
Links to help explain EMDR,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKrfH43srg8
https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/EMDR.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOkSm90f2Do
EMDR and tinnitus
I recently found a few articles that suggests EMDR may be useful for tinnitus; while only two small studies, I am always encouraged to see more support for EMDR in varied clinical presentations.
Finding medically accurate information on management and treatment of tinnitus can be challenging. In my past position for a local health system, I worked for a number of years with people who experience tinnitus, or chronic ringing in the ears. I know from my own experience of tinnitus how distressing and challenging finding good treatment can be. I also know that there is help and one can find relief. The article below is the best summary I have ever seen of management and treatment recommendations. I can talk with you further about mental health approaches to finding reduced tinnitus disturbance.
https://www.ata.org/sites/default/files/Winter-2017-5.pdf
I was honored to be asked to write a guest blog post for EMDRIA about EMDR and tinnitus for more information.
I can talk with you further about mental health approaches to finding reduced tinnitus disturbance.
Brainspotting: In spring 2020 I completed a level I training course on Brainspotting (with perinatal specific refresher in Summer 2022); using principles that eye gaze allows us to access deeper level brain processing on the things that bother us. As I continue to practice and to learn, I find this is a power approach that can focus beyond our “thinking and talking” brain. Read more,
Mindfulness, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Ego state/ Internal Family Systems, ACT, DBT: These are other types of psychotherapy that each direct the focus of the therapy sessions a bit differently to help you find relief from what is bothering you. I tend to use mindfulness often with all the types of psychotherapy I practice. Mindfulness is a specific practice, and a way of being that is known to relieve suffering. With more practice mindfulness can enhance the psychotherapy we are doing during session.
CBT- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT works on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behavior are interrelated, and if we can bring about a change in any of these aspects, then the others will change too. CBT is what most people do when they think of "talk therapy." My hope is that by providing you with reflections and insight we can start to improve the condition that prompted you to seek therapy. Read more,
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/two-takes-depression/201301/what-expect-in-psychotherapy
EFT/Tapping- Emotional Freedom Technique: I do not consider EFT a type of psychotherapy, but rather a technique to learn that can help you continue to feel safe, comfortable, and protected outside the therapy session. EFT can be useful for anxiety, acute and chronic pain (I have used it myself to be pain free for up to six months at a time!), insomnia, over-eating behaviors, just to name a few. I have completed training in EFT levels 1, 2, & 3.
http://www.tapintoheaven.com/charts/EFT_Tapping_Chart_English.pdf