Do you feel like something is missing...?
"Part of me wants to get help, but another part is actually afraid to feel better,"the voice on the other end of the phone says to me.
I'm talking to Melissa, a successful woman and mother of young children.
"I keep telling myself that maybe I'm okay...maybe I'm making up all this suffering, but nothing else is working! Something is missing."
Melissa tells me her story. Her childhood was dysfunctional. The list of experiences, which includes mental illness, addictions, abuse/neglect and un-attuned caregivers points clearly to trauma: Relational trauma.
I tell Melissa what I tell most of my clients, "Your challenges are not your fault. Your childhood pain is in the drivers seat. And the good news is, healing from relational trauma is possible!"
The critical voices of doubt, shame and anger Melissa was experiencing were all normal responses to the environment she'd grown up in.
"I get so panicked, anxious and overwhelmed. Then I spin and spin until I'm exhausted and it takes me days to recover. I never know when it's going to happen again. I feel trapped, alone unworthy and broken."
Survivors of relational trauma have been programmed not to trust their emotions. I use somatic therapy techniques to help clients slow down their fears so the body becomes a friend and tool.
I also help clients learn about various "parts" of themselves that have been (up until now) trying to help them survive. This approach is called Internal Family Systems and is a powerful form of therapy. Clients release old patterns without having to spend years in therapy.
Despite her initial fears, Melissa completed therapy with me. She found that the soft pain of healing was different than the hard pain of holding it all together.
Melissa reconnected to her core self. She recovered her joy and her internal resources. She came to rely on a connection to her higher power. She reported freedom around former "trigger" events. "I found I could calmly watch things unfold where in the past I would have been freaking out!" she said.
This became more and more common for Melissa. She reported greater curiosity, openness, true power and profound spirituality. Her marriage turned around. She found meaningful friendships,stepped easily into parenting and leadership roles at work. Her life became deeply satisfying and drama free!
It's not your fault...
If you grew up in a home where the caregivers had mental illness, addictions or other dysfunctional problems, I can help.
Using effective and evidence based practices I help my clients resolve their broken hearts and childhood masks. You can blossom into a present and meaningful life where your mind is clear and your heart is free and your relationships are safe. I can support this change in you. If you are bearing the burdens of relational trauma (including:perfectionism, self-reliance, constant thinking/spinning, chronic and incurable health issues, dysfunctional and painful relationships as well as deep loneliness.
I understand what you’re going through and I have walked my own healing journey.
There is hope. There is a clear and spacious path. There is a way to enjoy becoming a mature and responsible adult.
My clients find fresh ideas about themselves and experience a new reality. My clients discover they are not broken or bad, but beautiful and becoming. My clients understand for the first time what their purposes are for being alive and how to lead confidently a life of being true to themselves. My clients discover the delicious magic that is waiting for them in the present moment.
Using effective and evidence based practices I help my clients resolve their broken hearts and childhood masks. You can blossom into a present and meaningful life where your mind is clear and your heart is free and your relationships are safe. I can support this change in you. If you are bearing the burdens of relational trauma (including:perfectionism, self-reliance, constant thinking/spinning, chronic and incurable health issues, dysfunctional and painful relationships as well as deep loneliness.
I understand what you’re going through and I have walked my own healing journey.
There is hope. There is a clear and spacious path. There is a way to enjoy becoming a mature and responsible adult.
My clients find fresh ideas about themselves and experience a new reality. My clients discover they are not broken or bad, but beautiful and becoming. My clients understand for the first time what their purposes are for being alive and how to lead confidently a life of being true to themselves. My clients discover the delicious magic that is waiting for them in the present moment.
You don't have to try so hard, let me help you make lasting change!
My Specialities:
- addictive behaviors
- codependency
- low self esteem
- painful memories
- toxic relationships
- career and caregiver burnout
- ineffective parenting
- poor listening skills
- insufficient community support
- financial turmoil
Also offering support with:
- emotional well visit (periodic check-ins)
- spiritual growth and mindfulness
- counseling supervision and consultation
- complex situations that need an outside perspective
If you light up at the idea of having a counselor who really understands you, then contact me below. I'll send you a welcome packet and we can begin sessions right away.