Historical/ Intergenerational Trauma

I focus my individual clinical work on treating attachment trauma such as narcissistic abuse, adult survivors of childhood emotional and/or sexual abuse, and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (also known as developmental trauma). I care deeply about supporting clients in understanding and recovering from these types of trauma because of their destructive effects on an individual's ability to enjoy life. Therapy can help you find balance and develop a healthy sense of self.

Intergenerational trauma has a significant influence on the way we process and interact with the world. Identifying generational patterns and processing historical trauma gives you more autonomy in shaping your story.

Healing from intergenerational trauma involves understanding your family’s story while reclaiming your own. We will use Narrative Therapy to redefine your personal narrative. We will explore how the behaviors, beliefs, and coping mechanisms passed down through generations may be impacting your life today and work together to heal those wounds.

I checked this box to represent the breadth and depth of trauma work that I have engaged in with clients from all walks of life. So many traumatic experiences have their roots even deeper in our histories and it is crucial to navigate and unpack the implications of intergenerational contexts.

Trauma follows us and it is a lot of the times passed down. Let's get to the root cause of it, explore how it affected your life growing up, and also how to break the cycle.

More new information is emerging about the effects of trauma on health & wellbeing. PTSD and CPTSD (complex - PTSD due to years of abuse/neglect) is when we feel hi-jacked by our senses/body connecting us back to past events that were (or seemed) life threatening. These experiences can be from Domestic abuse, events/accidents related to the lifestyle of substance abuse, and from chronic traumatic/neglectful childhood experiences. There is hope for recovery. It is time for you to heal.

Instances of trauma, loss, and tragedy that occurred in the lives of family members who came before us can influence the passing down of unresolved tensions and conflict to children. This can lead to the perpetuation of trauma, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. I help clients process these dynamics, mourn the loss of what they did not have as children, and move toward a life wherein the past is acknowledged but not a determinant of the future.

Trauma-informed care is not a specific or technique-heavy modality. Trauma-informed care recognizes that trauma significantly affects people. As a trauma-informed therapist, I will assess and explore how your experiences may have deeply affected you, and recognize and respond to you in a way that emphasizes safety, collaboration, and empowerment.

As a Filipino therapist from Los Angeles who holds a variety of marginalized identities, I understand how trauma can cause overwhelming emotions and fractures in our sense of self. As a clinician formally trained in Western models of care, I seek to integrate various modalities to provide mental health services as a legitimate and meaningful path towards healing trauma and impacts of structural violence.

Trauma doesn't come from nowhere. It is tied to family, community, and national history. It is connected to the long and many faceted systemic oppression that causes so much trauma. For me, most trauma is connected to the intergenerational. This is why in my work with clients I connect present experiences of symptoms related to trauma to past relationships, family history, community history, and more.

Whether you've experienced a single traumatic event or ongoing trauma, I am here to offer a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your feelings, process memories, and develop coping strategies at your own pace. Using techniques such as CRM (Community Resiliency Model) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), I work collaboratively with you to address symptoms of trauma such as anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts.

I have experienced working with intergenerational trauma, helping clients break free from unhealthy patterns that they learned or inherit from their parents. I have experienced first hand this type of trauma and this has helped me to understand it and learn the tools needed to heal. The most difficult part of this trauma is that it is very silent. Clients often don't recognize its impact, leading them to believe they are overreacting or that something is wrong with them.

Trauma is deeply intertwined in immigration histories past and present. Using trauma-informed practices and narrative therapy, we assist clients in processing inherited trauma and reclaiming their narratives, promoting resilience and healing across generations. We hope to guide clients through the legacy of past atrocities like colonization or genocide, which continue to affect their well-being today.

When we start to heal from intergenerational trauma, it can be a lonely and difficult process. Together, we can gain insight on how the experiences of your family members is still impacting your life today. I have experience working with individuals from refugee families, BIPOC families, and military families.

As a descendant of a group who experienced colonialism and genocide and as an award-winning professor who has dedicated my program of research to intergenerational trauma, I am have content area expertise in historical and intergenerational trauma and am aware of the mismatch between Western therapies not meeting the needs to serve those impacted by historical and intergenerational trauma. I use anti-colonial frameworks when working with folks navigating historical and intergenerational trauma.

My work as a former social worker in schools exposed me to real-time cases of difficult childhood experiences, allowing me to see firsthand how these challenges unfold & affect both individuals & their loved ones, often contributing to cycles of intergenerational trauma. I had the opportunity to support these children & families, educating them on ways to break these cycles. Intergenerational trauma impacts an individual's mental & physical health, as well as their relationships with others.

I specialize in helping you understand the patterns of intergenerational trauma within your family, so you can make intentional choices and nurture loving relationships. Through the use of family constellations and parts work, we can uncover and heal these cycles, empowering you to honor the past and create new realities.

I believe trauma is the root of most things that are wrong in this world. I use evidence based practices to address trauma, intergenerational trauma, and attachment trauma. I blend attachment based therapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, along with mindfulness skills based in neuroscience.