Therapy for Complex Trauma in California and Washington

Complex trauma is also called relational trauma because it forms through the course of relationships (often with caregivers) that did not meet our basic needs for safety and belonging. This can include a variety of early experiences: abuse, neglect, parental substance use, or a parent who relied on you to meet their emotional needs. In order to survive the trauma, we develop unique methods of protection: shrinking, care-taking, or reading the room with an uncanny precision. While these adaptations are rarely conscious, they are wise. Our survival systems kick in to help us through situations where there was little else we could control. As an adult seeking to heal from childhood trauma, it is helpful to begin to see our younger selves as brave and resourceful, even as we gently invite our inner child into a safe haven of compassion - within therapy and within ourselves - so that these defenses can begin to relax. With support, we can finally breathe a little deeper and focus on showing up to our lives with presence, intention, and joy.

Because the ongoing symptoms of complex trauma can manifest in various ways, I further specialize in working with the following experiences:

Therapy for Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the primary reasons that folks reach out to a therapist. They are often met with tools and approaches that address worry as the primary driver of anxiety. These tools, such as challenging unhelpful thoughts and facing fears, can be incredibly helpful. However, I've come to observe in my practice that many anxiety sufferers are in fact experiencing a nervous system that is wired for danger, which remains on high alert even when no obvious worries are present. You might be so accustomed to living in this way that you barely notice it. Or, you might have tried other ways of addressing your anxiety, only to find that your internal alarm system is still blaring persistently.

When working with complex trauma survivors who regularly feel anxious, I offer a more comprehensive approach in which the whole person is met and your symptoms are greeted with respect instead of as a problem to be solved. I help you create an environment within your body, heart and mind in which the defense of anxiety is no longer needed as often, and in which you feel a steady anchor of self-trust, worthiness, and resourcefulness.

Therapy for Mothers

Motherhood is transforming. It is the bridge between two archetypes: maiden and mother. It challenges your capacity for patience in ways you could never anticipate. If you did not receive the unconditional love from your own mother (or parent) that you wish to provide to your own child, you may feel fearful about your ability to show up as the kind of mother you want to be. Therapy can offer a space for exploration, unlearning and re-learning ways of showing up in this role. It can offer your nervous system a much needed space to generously tend to yourself, as a form of re-parenting the parts of you that might still hold wounds from your own upbringing. Together, we can find ways to meet your needs, not just so you can be the parent you want to be, but because you matter too.

I have training and experience working with many components of the perinatal experience, such as postpartum depression and anxiety, birth trauma, infertility and loss, and neurodivergence within the context of parenting. Both new and experienced moms come to me seeking support in navigating their parenting journey, and find greater ease and confidence throughout the course of our work.