TRAUMA & PTSD THERAPY
The past may shape you. It doesn't have to define you.
Trauma can shape how you feel, connect, and move through the world—even long after an experience has passed. Through an integrative approach that draws on EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Brainspotting, and somatic therapy, we’ll work at a pace that honors your nervous system, helping you develop a different relationship with the experiences that continue to affect you.
Sometimes the past doesn't feel like the past.
You may understand what happened and still notice your body bracing, your thoughts racing, or parts of you working hard to stay protected. These responses can show up in ways that aren't always easy to recognize or connect to earlier experiences.
Understanding Trauma & PTSD
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Trauma isn't always the result of a single overwhelming event. Sometimes, experiences that seem less significant on the surface—such as rejection, criticism, humiliation, loss, difficult relationships, or periods of prolonged stress—can leave a lasting emotional impression.
These experiences may shape how we see ourselves, relate to others, or respond to situations in the present. You might notice patterns of self-doubt, anxiety, avoidance, or emotional reactions that feel difficult to understand, even when you recognize that the original experience is in the past.
You don't need to have experienced a major traumatic event or have a PTSD diagnosis to benefit from exploring these patterns. Therapy can offer space to understand and process experiences that continue to affect you, at a pace that feels right for you.
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A condition that can develop after going through or witnessing something traumatic, often causing things like unwanted memories, feeling extra fearful, or avoiding certain situations.
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Complex trauma can develop through repeated or prolonged experiences of distress, particularly when safety, support, or connection were limited. These experiences may include childhood adversity, emotional neglect, unpredictable caregiving, or difficult relationships over time.
Rather than affecting only how you remember the past, complex trauma can shape how you experience yourself, relate to others, and respond to stress. You might notice persistent self-criticism, difficulty trusting, emotional overwhelm, numbness, or patterns of protection that once helped you cope.
Therapy can offer space to understand these responses with compassion, develop a greater sense of safety, and gradually explore the experiences that shaped them.
Trauma-related responses can be subtle.
Body & Alertness
Feeling tense, easily startled, or constantly on guard. Difficulty settling or sleeping restfully.
Memory & Attention
Unwanted memories, images, or physical sensations. Difficulty concentrating or remaining present.
Connection & Protection
Feeling numb, disconnected, or withdrawn. Avoiding situations or emotions that feel overwhelming.
An integrative approach to trauma therapy
Trauma therapy isn't one-size-fits-all. Rather than relying on a single method, I thoughtfully integrate approaches based on your unique needs, goals, and readiness—honoring the pace and capacity of your nervous system.
EMDR — A structured approach that can support processing distressing memories and related responses.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) — An approach to understanding and relating to the different parts of yourself shaped by difficult experiences.
Brainspotting — A focused-attention approach that may help explore experiences that are difficult to put into words.
Somatic Therapy — An approach that attends to the body's cues, regulation, and capacity for choice.
I offer trauma and PTSD therapy for adults in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and throughout California via telehealth.