Laura Thomas (she/her)

When clients find themselves either 'blanking' out, feeling numb, or not having memories for parts of their lives, particularly childhood, this is often a symptom of dissociation, which I have extensive training and experience in treating as this is often a trauma response. However, for a person to be whole again, they need to reclaim these exiled parts of themselves and this integration is possible with specialized treatment including EMDR and somatic work.

When so many unwelcomed feelings pile up, often this can result in a depression. And, given that talk therapy is the number one cure for depression, I have extensive experience in working with clients suffering depression in which dark feelings are expressed in an emotionally supportive way and in time no longer weighing you down. I teach clients how to feel their uncomfortable feelings in a way that feels safe, productive, and moreover freeing, opening up to the wisdom all feelings hold for us.

Understanding that it is our first relationships that most influence the way we respond and interact in our current relationships, my approach to psychotherapy is Attachment theory. Healing the wounds of the past, building awareness and healing our triggers, while choosing different responses can go a long way towards bringing peace and fulfillment in our lives and our relationships.

As a trauma-certified psychotherapist, I have extensive training and experience working with clients with difficult childhoods, including emotional neglect, bullying, trauma, or adoption, as well as working with clients who have experienced difficulties or traumas as an adult. In addition, I have advanced training in EMDR, including attachment trauma, somatic work (or healing emotions stuck in our bodies), as well with working with wounded parts of ourselves that need to be healed.

Eye Movement Rapid Desensitization (EMDR) is researched as the quickest way to heal triggered responses that may be damaging our relationships or holding ourselves back in flight, fight, freeze, or collapsed responses when under stressful situations, particularly in interpersonal relationships. Once our triggers are healed, we can then choose how to respond, instead of lashing out in anger, people pleasing, feeling small, or other triggered responses that are not in our control until healed.

I am grounded in the Psychodynamic approach of Attachment-based theory because how we experienced our first attachment figures most influences the way we show up, respond and interact in our current relationships. Psychotherapy with a trained attachment therapist is a wonderful way to heal our own attachment wounding and to earn a secure attachment style in which we can then show up more grounded, choosing our responses, and have more satisfying relationships with ourselves and others.