Our work will be customized to meet your needs
I have specialized training in these evidence based approaches that are proven effective and can be applied in a way that best suits you
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a psychotherapy approach that has undergone extensive research and been proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is one of the top treatment recommendations from the American Psychiatric Association for healing trauma.
It is a process that is more than eye movement/bilateral brain stimulation alone, though this is often what it is primarily known for. This is a crucial part of course, but we will also focus on resourcing by building on your strengths, creating healthy coping skills that you will be able to call on as needed, and practicing healthy limit setting by sticking with a pace that is catered directly towards your needs.
EMDR can be used for many different traumatic experiences and any issue that is keeping you stuck. In my work with mothers, it can be be especially helpful in healing and resolving birth trauma, sexual trauma, emotional or physical trauma, abandonment, fear, and grief. Together we can target any specific limiting beliefs that have kept you stuck so that your mind can rewire neural connections and create new meaning and positive beliefs. I would be happy to explain this in more detail to you during our work together, as you will be an active participant in your healing.
Check out this link to learn more about EMDR from the EMDR International Association.
Reparenting
This is a Psychodynamic approach to healing that is influenced by therapeutic modalities including Ego State Therapy, Internal Family Systems and Parts Psychology. When you reparent yourself and get in tune with your triggers and the underlying roots related to them, you can heal them at the source, instead of letting them leak into your relationships with your family. For example, if your child has a tantrum and is difficult to settle, you may react by yelling out of frustration even though that is the opposite of your goals. This reaction feels automatic and hard to resist because an inner child part is likely triggered. Whereas, when you are fully integrated and leading your life from your Wise Mind, you are able to soothe yourself in the moment and respond calmly in the way that best supports your child’s emotion regulation as well.
It is a metaphorical exploration of your inner world through the lens of how your past experiences have shaped your current perception of life. We all have moments in time where we learned to view the world a certain way. At one time, that point of view likely served you but as you grow up you no longer need to hold on to many of the belief systems that were ingrained in you from childhood. We give your younger parts a voice so that they can "grow up" through your nurturing and no longer negatively impact your life in the present.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a state of focusing your attention on the present. It involves radical acceptance without judgement and helps you view your experiences from an objective perspective. This includes meditation techniques, mind-body connection, and awareness work. Mindfulness plays an important role in living an empowered life as its principles focus on the present moment, rather than getting stuck looking backwards at the past, or anxiously anticipating the future.
Mindfulness tools help you reset your mindset whenever you find yourself spiraling into stress and overwhelm. Grounding techniques and mind-body awareness are used to help you orient to what is actually occurring around you, by supporting you in living in the moment rather than in your head. Incorporation of body work and movement plays an important role in helping you to complete stress responses so that trauma and emotions do not stay locked in the body.
As a parent, your role is to regulate your emotions and model healthy coping skills for your children. Mindfulness practices including yoga and breathing techniques that can be a fun and connecting way to teach your children how to regulate and tolerate distress. When they see you self-soothing and being present, they in turn learn to do the same.
CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective therapeutic intervention that aims to improve mental health. CBT focuses on changing and challenging unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors, in order to help improve emotions and reactions to life experiences. It also helps to create personalized coping skills that target solving current problems. CBT was originally designed for the treatment of Depression, but it's use has been expanded to include treatment of a number of other issues, including Anxiety and Weight Loss/Management. CBT has been used to help clients increase happiness and life satisfaction as it focuses on solutions, encouraging patients to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behavior.
When compared to the use of psychoactive medications, review studies have found CBT alone to be as effective for treating less severe forms of Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Eating Disorders, etc. CBT takes a more structured approach to the therapeutic process, where you and I will work together to create your goals, help you transform your thoughts and perspective in a positive way, and achieve a life you dream of.