Understand how those helping you will be a support

What is trauma? What is neglect? Do these impact me?

People often come to therapy feeling lost or having tried lots of things without success. They seek reassurance that their feelings, thoughts, and experiences are β€œnormal.”

Trauma is defined as a normal response to adverse events, affecting our physiology, mental state, and emotions. It rewires our neurons, manifesting as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, perfectionism, and relationship difficulties, etc. shaping our worldview, self-esteem, and relationships.

The American Psychological Association defines β€œneglect” as failing to provide for someone’s basic needs. Emotional neglect can lead to feelings of rejection and apathy, resulting in guilt, shame, and difficulty validating one’s emotions.

How consultations help decide if I’m the right therapist for you?

1

Convey your pain, identified needs, make goals.

Overall, it’s a vibe check. Get help defining what you need help with, have your needs specified, and b before you even schedule you first session!

2

Personalized suggestions.

I’ll share how I practice, and what I think would help address some of the issues mentioned. Answer any questions you might have.

3

Scheduling an Intake.

Schedule a diagnostic evaluation to get started with the therapeutic process.

Therapeutic Process

  1. Stabilization. Building rapport. Establish structure by recognizing unacknowledged thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Basic coping skills & psychoeducation.😭

  2. Mapping the Land. Mapping someone’s life and family narrative to understand themselves; their perception of worth, history, and what has contributed to their self-concept. 🧐

  3. Seeking and Finding. Acknowledge core wounds and needs. 😬

  4. Integrate. Identify and learn to communicate your unique needs. Combining skills with narrative. 😳

  5. Practice Skills. Grow from damaging or inhibiting behavioral, thought, and belief patterns, in vivo. 🫑

  6. Growth and Change. Foster character growth, meaning and purpose, aligning oneself with new internal structures for lasting change. 😊

Therapeutic Modalities

  • This is a form of therapy that combines traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles with a deeper understanding of the impact of trauma on a person’s life.

    TI-CBT acknowledges that trauma can fundamentally alter cognitive processes, and therapy is conducted in a way that is sensitive to and aware of these effects.

  • Originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder, DBT is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of treatment.

    DBT focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

  • EFT aims to help individuals better understand and regulate their emotions.

    EFT works on the premise that enhancing emotional awareness and expression can lead to more profound personal change and improved mental health.

  • Also known as β€œpartsβ€œ work, IFS posits that the mind is naturally divided into subpersonalities or "parts," and that healing can occur when these parts are understood and harmonized.

    It is particularly useful for addressing inner conflict and understanding the different facets of the self.

  • This framework explores how early interactions with caregivers shape our relationships later in life.

    It highlights the importance of forming secure attachments in childhood and how these attachments impact emotional development and behavior in adulthood.

  • This philosophical approach focuses on the human condition as a whole. It emphasizes concepts like freedom, responsibility, meaning, and choice, helping individuals confront and accept the inherent challenges of existence.

  • Developed by Viktor Frankl, this form of existential therapy is centered on the idea that finding a purpose in life is the most powerful motivator for human beings. It encourages individuals to explore and find personal meaning in their experiences.

  • This pragmatic approach aims to create positive change by focusing on solutions rather than problems. It helps individuals identify their strengths and resources to construct a vision of a preferred future and find ways to achieve their goals in a brief period.

  • EMDR is an evidence-based, clinician led, psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

    Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR is used to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories. It involves the patient recalling distressing events while receiving bilateral sensory input, such as side-to-side eye movements or hand tapping.

    This process is believed to help reprocess the traumatic memories, reducing their emotional impact.

  • FST views the family as an interconnected emotional unit.

    Developed by Murray Bowen, it emphasizes that individuals cannot be fully understood in isolation but rather as part of their family system, which shapes their behavior and emotions through complex interactions.

It’s only a click to the next step:

FAQs

  • ***If this is a life threatening emergency, call 911 or 988***

    CALL 988: for 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention & crisis resources for you or your loved ones.

    • National Suicide Prevention Hotline (24/7): 1-800-273-8255

    • RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673)

    • Seattle Crisis Connections: 1-866-427-4747

    • National Runaway Safeline: 1-800-786-2929

    • Crisis Text (24/7): Text HOME to 741741

    • Need2Text: Text TALK to 38255

  • 1. Fill out the information form on the "Contact" page. Schedule a free consultation to see if clinician's therapeutic approach is the right for you. 

    2. Make sure to complete all the required paperwork and practice forms ​

    3. Recognize clinical expectations. Counselors have professional boundaries too, and it is up to clients to prioritize their session times. Fees help keep clients accountable. Of course, life happens, so inform the clinician if something is up! 

    4. Check your Out-of-Network (OON) benefits as well as your deductible. Otherwise, pay through Simply Practice if you are paying out-of-pocket. Upload payment information to Simple Practice.

  • 1. Understanding the Issues: Your previous counseling experience; how it went, what did you like or not like, etc. What's bringing you in now? Define the issue.

    2. Pertinent History: Whare are your current life and living circumstances, reviewing medical & mental health history, medication, family or origin, SI/self-harm, sexual history/preferences, religious or spiritual preferences, etc.

    3. Strengths & Goals Your Strengths: Let's give credit where it's due and define your therapeutic goals. What is going to make this time valuable to you?