Approaches to Help Release “Baked-In” Limitations
After providing therapy for 20+ years, I realize that expertise, intuition, and relational alchemy are equally important for healing. Also, it’s helpful to know which approach to use, when to use it, and whom to use it with. We’d use both integrative talk therapy and processing with specific trauma-informed approaches.
Establish Rapport, Themes, and Goals
Building rapport supports curiosity, trust, and discovery. While your history is important, so is knowing what is and isn't working for you right now. In our collaboration:
We will name common themes like low self-worth, perfectionism, difficulty setting boundaries, people-pleasing, and “imposter syndrome.”
We’ll also track the residue of childhood wounding or trauma (C-PTSD), such as chronic anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, catastrophizing, or physical restlessness.
In setting goals, I suggest possible themes and where they might originate from. We’ll reframe challenges as childhood adaptations. We’ll also track and evaluate progress along the way.
Somatic Therapy and EMDR Invite Innate Healing for Trauma, PTSD, and C-PTSD
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is a gentle, evidence-based therapy to resolve trauma symptoms. It uses mindful, focused awareness of the body's response when briefly recalling a key memory. With my guidance, clients then focus 100% on the body’s evolving process to slowly release energy used to maintain trauma triggers.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy approach that accesses the brain to update and integrate memories so they are no longer disturbing or activating.
Becoming Limiting Behaviors and Distorted Beliefs
EMDR and/or Somatic Therapy: I use these methods for healing distorted childhood beliefs like “I’m not good enough.” and limiting behaviors like addictions or people-pleasing.
Intuitive Guide and Facilitator
I’m an intuitive guide and facilitator of my client’s organic healing process. I have faith that salient memories will surface for healing.
Example of Restrictive Behaviors and Distorted Belief Processing
If a client is triggered into a shame spiral by his boss's neutral comment, we could use this as an entry point to heal his reactivity. Perhaps a memory would surface from second grade when his teacher publicly called him "stupid,” and he’s believed it ever since.
In updating this belief, my adult client would bring clarity that his teacher was wrong and nurture his young, seven-year-old self to feel cared about and protected. We would integrate the fact the fact that he is smart enough and embody a sense of confidence and empowerment.
Inner Parts Work
If my client are open to it, I also offer IFS (Internal Family Systems) and TIST (Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment) to help clients notice when internal child parts have taken over, learn to communicate with these parts and befriend them to reduce their influence to keep them from taking over in present life.
Flash Derived from EMDR
The Flash Technique: An enjoyable method for healing isolated traumatic events. It starts with a fleeting memory, immediately followed by a happy memory, along with alternating tapping or tones. This leads to a reclassification of the memory, so it’s harmless and not activating.
Breaking Free with Compassionate, Evidence-Based Therapy
If you're interested in finding out more to see if this could help break you free from your past, I invite you to schedule a free consultation to learn more about my evidence-based approach to your growth and healing.