Trauma

My primary specialty is to work with people who have experienced trauma, whether it is “big T trauma,” such as disturbing major life events; or “small t trauma,” which tends to mean less obvious but often equally painful or impactful events or patterns. These traumas can be recent or long ago, experienced at an early or advanced age. EMDR, which is not just a technique but a complete therapeutic program, is my primary approach to trauma treatment.

Crisis of Meaning or Purpose

When life loses its sense of meaning, purpose, or direction it can be very painful and disorienting. This can occur because of a significant loss, a major life transition, unhealed trauma, or underlying mental illness. I use a focusing-oriented approach in combination with mindfulness, parts work, and EMDR. My goal is to treat these crises as discrete issues that can be specifically targeted.

Religious Trauma or Spiritual/Religious Questioning

A specific sub-specialty within both trauma and crises of meaning, I work with people who are wrestling with issues related to their religious upbringing, their spirituality, or their lack of such. I approach these issues from a strictly non-sectarian perspective enriched by experience and familiarity with a range of different religious and spiritual traditions. I bring to these cases the same approaches mentioned above, but with a specific focus on religious and/or spiritual content.

What I Don't Do

Couple Therapy

Child, Adolescent, or Family Therapy

Primary Clinical Major Depression

Primary Anxiety Disorders Unrelated to Trauma

Often clinical depression and anxiety are part of the mix of conditions underlying the issues that I do treat. But they may or may not be the primary presenting concern. “Primary” means that treatment of the disorder is necessary before additional treatment can be effective.

If in my clinical judgment the primary issue is clinical Major Depression or an Anxiety Disorder not related to trauma, I will refer you to someone better equipped to treat those issues. I may recommend that, once the primary issue has been adequately managed, we can then begin our therapy.