About me

 

I am a Certified EMDR therapist. EMDR is a powerhouse modality that targets painful  memories and allows them to be reintegrated in a way that provides lasting relief and healing.  EMDR incorporates some of the best elements of attachment theory and neuro-science principles along with long-established cognitive-behavioral, emotionally-focused, and somatic therapies. Within the EMDR framework, I utilize ego-state therapy.  EMDR is a go-to treatment for trauma and PTSD.  (For more information on EMDR, click here.)

 

I am also certified in Restoration Therapy, a modality that illuminates core beliefs about self and provides tangible, concrete steps toward healing.  I find RT to be a wonderful complement to EMDR.

 

I have extensive training in pastoral counseling and spiritual formation.  Many of my clients struggle with the intersection of spirituality and suffering, and I love to integrate these two areas during my sessions.

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My specialties are trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship, and spiritual issues. I work with adults 18 years of age and older.

 

I am currently offering both in-person/in-office sessions (with extra safety precautions due to COVID-19) as well as Telehealth video sessions.  That means I can meet with anyone in the state of California.

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I love to travel, and I lived in Costa Rica (aka Paradise!) for a number of years. This season of life ignited in me a passion for cultural sensitivity and awareness that I seek to bring into my therapy office.

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I am married and have two children.  I love to kayak, read, bake bread, play guitar, and spend time with my beloved ones.

Qualifications

Education and Licenses
• CA Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist,  #100496
• Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, National University, San Diego, CA,  Dec 2012
• Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling & Spiritual Formation, Columbia International University, Columbia, SC, Dec 2009

 

Certifications
• EMDR Certified Therapist with EMDR International Association, Jan 2020
• Level 2 Certification in Restoration Therapy, May 2017
 

Selected Ongoing Trainings
• Ongoing EMDR Consultation Group - Arielle Schwartz, PhD, beginning Oct 2024

• IFS-Informed EMDR Therapy: An Integrative Approach for Transformative Healing of

  Trauma, Anxiety, and More - Stacy Ruse, LPC, Oct 2024

• Specialized EMDR Techniques: Advanced Skills for Trauma, Attachment Wounds, and

  More - Sandra Paulsen, PhD & Lori Kucharski, PhD, July 2023

• Dick Schwartz's Internal Family Systems Therapy Master Class: Experience IFS Therapy in

  Action with Complex Trauma and PTSD - Richard Schwartz, PhD, Jan 2023

• Internal Family Systems Therapy: Step-by-Step Procedures for Healing Traumatic Wounds

  and Alleviating Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Addiction and More - Alexia Rothman, PhD,

  Nov 2022

• Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Transformational Approaches to

  Treating Complex Trauma - Janina Fisher, PhD, Oct 2022

• Attachment-Focused EMDR for Panic and Anxiety - Laurel Parnell, PhD, Sept 2022

• Healing from the Bottom Up: How to Help Clients Access Resource States - Peter Levine,

  Mar 2022

• EMDR & Parts Work for Treating Complex Trauma: Somatic Techniques to Decrease

  Defensiveness and Facilitate Trauma Processing - Arielle Schwartz, PhD, Mar 2022

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Made Easy: Innovative Techniques for

  Depression, Anxiety, Trauma & Personality Disorders - Douglas Fogel, PsyD, June 2021

• Trauma Treatment with EMDR, CBT, and Somatic-Based Interventions ~ Jennifer Sweeton,

  PhD, June 2021

• The Dance of Attachment: An EMDR Relational Approach - Deany Laliotis, LICSW, Mar 2021

• Healing the Wounds of Attachment and Rebuilding Self - Deany Laliotis, LICSW, Nov 2020

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction & More -

  Richard Schwartz, PhD & Frank Anderson, PhD, Oct 2020

• Healing the Heart of Complex Trauma and Dissociation with EMDR and Ego State Therapy

  - Carol Forgash, LCSW, Sept 2020
• EMDR In Action: A Step-By-Step Master Class - Deany Laliotis, LICSW, Apr 2020

• An Integrative Neurodevelopmental Approach to the Treatment of Addictions Within an
  EMDR Framework - Susan Brown, LCSW, Nov 2018
• High-Speed Treatment of Depression and Anxiety Disorders - David Burns, MD,  Aug 2018

• Mindsight, Attachment and Clinical Integration - Dan Siegel, MD, Oct 2017

• Restoration Therapy Conference - Terry Hargrave, PhD, Oct 2016

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