When I meet with folks for the first time,
I feel empathy and care for them.

I recognize how hard it is to reach out for support and that entering my office (virtually, or physically) is a huge step. This alone takes so much courage. In our sessions together, I strongly believe in the power of relationship in healing and strive to create a space where folks feel connected, accepted for who they are and cared for. Many of the folks I work with have experienced lack of trust and safety in relationships, whether that is with family, friends, or in the community. They have learned adaptive ways to respond to their environments to keep them safe. And sometimes these adaptive ways of responding may no longer be helpful, and may be getting in the way of living life the way they want or hope to. Together in sessions, we will learn about the ways you have adaptively protected yourself and how we can help your nervous system find a place of safety, connection, and regulation through this healing process. It is my hope that through this process you will find increased safety, trust and connection in your nervous system and in your relationships with others.

In my practice, I support folks using two primarily therapy modalities:

  • Somatic Experiencing

  • Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

I also integrate the use of art, play, sand tray and narrative therapy approaches. I work from a trauma-informed and attachment lens supporting children, youth and adults with healing symptoms of stress and trauma and regulating their nervous systems to increase capacity to enjoy their everyday lives.

Somatic Experiencing

I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and support folks in therapy utilizing a therapy modality called Somatic Experiencing (SE). SE was founded by Dr. Peter Levine based on his studies of physiology, psychology, biology, indigenous healing practices and neuroscience.

During SE sessions, I will work with you to increase your nervous system capacity (aka support regulation) to begin this healing process and reduce these symptoms of stress and trauma. I might ask you things like “What sensation are you noticing in your body right now as we talk about this?”, “Is there anywhere in your body that feels different?”, “Are there any images that come with that sensation?”, etc.

  • Somatic Experiencing is a body-centered, bottom-up approach to healing symptoms of stress and trauma. This is different from cognitive or top-down approaches to therapy (ie. CBT, DBT, etc.) which focus on changing our thinking and beliefs. The SE approach supports individuals with creating new experiences in their bodies that are different from the tension and overwhelm that may be symptoms of trauma and stress, allowing for healing. Instead of changing thoughts and beliefs about how we feel (cognition), in SE we will explore sensations and experiences in the body that are under those feelings and beliefs. These may show up in symptoms such as anxiety, chronic pain, health difficulties, sleeping disturbances, depression, anger, not feeling anything (numb), etc. At the root of these symptoms is a dysregulated nervous system that is stuck in fight, flight or freeze responses. When we begin to regulate, sending signals of safety to our nervous system, (allowing them to come out of fight, flight or freeze) we can begin to heal.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

I am also certified in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and practice this approach with children, youth and parents/caregivers. DDP was founded by Daniel Hughes based on his understanding of attachment and the impact of developmental trauma. DDP is an attachment-based modality that supports children/youth who have experienced hurt and hardship and these experiences have shaped their development and relationships with others.

During DDP sessions, I will support the parents/caregivers with learning a trauma-informed approach to parenting and support them with this way of being with their child/youth in sessions. Together, we will support your child/youth with learning emotional regulation and interpersonal relationship skills. We may also integrate play, sandtray, art, and stories.

Get to know me

I started my private practice part-time in 2019 while working at my full-time agency job. I was working in child welfare providing clinical support to children, youth and families and starting my training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. I had done lots of training in trauma and attachment and really began to feel this was the way I wanted to work, and the population I wanted to support. At the same time, I began to learn about Somatic Experiencing which I felt complimented DDP and the work I was already doing so well. While I did my training, I wanted to be practicing and supporting people in the community using these modalities so I started a very small private practice working at a Naturopathic Clinic. Over time, my practice grew, changed over time and adapted to meet the needs of the community. In 2023, I decided to open my practice full time!