Trauma Therapy

I am under the supervision of one of the experts on trauma (Connie Baker, MAC, LPC), and I have extensive experience in the field working with highly traumatized clients. I have seen progress even in severe cases of PTSD, C-PTSD, and trauma-related symptoms in both individuals and couples. In addition to using EMDR to address trauma, I use several trauma-oriented modalities to develop safety, attachment, and healing for clients recovering from trauma.

I am a certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CTP) trained by the International Trauma Training Institute. I am trained on evidence-based techniques and interventions for PTSD and Trauma as well as panic and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). These treatments include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Bilateral Stimulation, and Mindfulness techniques.

I have been a practicing psychotherapist since 1995 and in private practice in San Francisco and Alameda since 2004. Prior to launching my practice, I was affiliated with the TALKLine Family Support Center/San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center in San Francisco for more than a decade, initially as an intern and then as a staff therapist and Clinical Supervisor. Besides my broader client focus, I have been working with veterans with PTSD for over a decade, initially on a pro-bono basis through the auspices of The Coming Home Project, and now independently through my private practice. In addition to this experience, I am trained in EMDR and have extensive experience assisting persons with histories of abuse, neglect and developmental and interpersonal trauma using an eclectic variety of psychotherapeutic approaches.

I provide Ketamine- Assisted Psychotherapy.

My approach to trauma therapy is one that cultivates a felt sense of safety in the client, connecting them to their body in a way that is nonthreatening. I provide ample psychoeducation and work with clients to help them integrate their experiences, all the while using coping and grounding skills to ease the process. I believe the therapeutic relationship is of the utmost importance and is the foundation upon which healing can take place.

Trauma informed therapy allows us to evaluate your history and understand how it may be effecting you now. We can talk through the details of the trauma if needed, or we can evaluate just the connectivity of the trauma to today without rehashing the details of your past. We use the therapy tools best suited for you.

Life can be permissive of cruelty and abuse. There is nothing fair about it. Traumatic encounters can upend one's entire perspective about self and one's ability to experience value and worth. It is my desire to help clients heal and reawaken safe love and beneficial engagement.

I have completed the Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy curriculum by the Medical University of South Carolina, and I have engaged in trauma-focused work since 2013. I am aware of how to engage people across the trauma spectrum-- especially those that have been both survivors or perpetrators of sexual harm.

I work from a perspective that all clients have experienced some form of trauma across their life. With that in mind, I have received over 50 hours of trauma informed training and a trauma informed certificate. It's important to work with the client from wherever they are, in order to help them address it and move forward.

I specialize in Somatic Trauma Resolution to address personal, religious, sexual, epigenetic, cultural, energetic trauma imprints, as well as complex cumulative trauma and PTSD. My counseling approach is informed by specialized training in somatic trauma resolution as well as 23+ years of professional experience in massage therapy focusing on trauma healing & integration utilizing somatic bodywork modalities, spiritual counseling, and shamanic healing.

Experiencing any form of interpersonal trauma and abuse can impact your quality of life in fundamental ways. Trauma can wreak havoc on our relationships and our lives, including leading to long-standing anxiety and stress, feelings of rejection and abandonment, and continual dissatisfaction and distrust of close, intimate relationships. My approach to trauma treatment is grounded in Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) developed by Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Allan Schore. From this perspective, the purpose of psychotherapy is to create the emotional safety necessary for defense mechanisms to become unnecessary. When this occurs, we move beyond simply talking about experiences to taking part in an emotional exchange in the here and now and in rebuilding healthy relationships with both self and others. Trauma focused psychotherapy can provide you with new emotional experiences that can lead to substantial, positive, and lasting change.

I have 8 years of experience in working with adults, children and adolescents who are struggling with trauma symptoms. PTSD has become a buzz word as the world has come to realize the significant impact traumatic experiences can have on us. Not everyone meets criteria for PTSD but any adverse experience can have last effects on our behaviors, relationships and goals. I have training in trauma informed care and integrate my knowledge and expertise into each session as we explore your life.

I have earned certificates in Community Resiliency Model Training at Southern California Counseling Center as well as in Trauma and Overwhelm Lives in the Body with Sergio Ocampo. Both of these workshops helped build an understanding of how our bodies hold on to trauma and taught methods for clients to build their resiliency through awareness of their feelings and bodily response.