It takes courage to seek help for trauma. Facing painful experiences head-on can feel overwhelming, and even deciding to start therapy is a brave step. Trauma changes how you see yourself, the world, and your sense of safety. It can leave you feeling constantly on guard, easily triggered, or disconnected from reality.

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You might find yourself pulled back into memories without warning, your body reacting as if the danger is happening all over again. At times, you may go into overdrive with panic or anger; at other times, you might freeze, numb out, or feel like you’re not really present. Many people try to cope by avoiding reminders, but that avoidance often shrinks life down until it feels like you’re just surviving instead of living. For others, the impact builds slowly—through years of ongoing stress, childhood adversity, or repeated harm—until it shapes how you view yourself, your relationships, and the world.

An ACT Approach to Healing

My work is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps people respond differently to painful thoughts, feelings, and memories while moving toward a more meaningful life. In trauma treatment, ACT gives us tools to approach what feels unbearable without being consumed by it.

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• Values – Trauma pulls you away from the life you want. We’ll clarify what matters most to you so recovery isn’t just about reducing symptoms, but about reclaiming meaning.

• Acceptance – Trying to push away fear, shame, or memories often makes them stronger. Together, we’ll build the ability to sit with these experiences safely, without avoidance controlling your life.

• Present Moment Awareness – Trauma keeps you caught in the past or bracing for the future. Mindfulness and grounding help you return to the here-and-now.

• Cognitive Defusion (Thought Distancing) – Traumatic thoughts like “I’m broken” or “It was my fault” can feel like facts. We’ll practice noticing these as thoughts—not truths—so they lose their power.

• Self-as-Context (Identity) – Trauma can make you feel defined by what happened. We’ll work on strengthening your identity beyond the trauma, so you can see yourself as more than your past.

• Committed Action – Healing isn’t passive. We’ll take gradual steps toward facing triggers, rebuilding trust, and reconnecting with life.

What to Expect in Session

I approach trauma therapy with compassion, patience, and collaboration. Early sessions often focus on building safety and stability—helping you develop grounding skills, strengthen support, and feel secure before we touch painful memories. For some, therapy may center on processing the impact of trauma on daily life, anxiety, or depression before working directly on traumatic events.

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When the time is right, we may use exposure-based methods—approaching memories, triggers, or avoided situations step by step. This could mean imagining or narrating events, or practicing real-life exposures to reminders (like visiting places or confronting objects) in a way that feels safe and supported. These aren’t exercises I throw at you—we’ll decide together when and how to approach them, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.

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No matter the details of your trauma—whether sexual assault, abuse, violence, or chronic stress—you won’t shock or overwhelm me. This work is my job, and I bring steadiness, nonjudgment, and openness to anything you need to share.