Individual Therapy
Trauma Therapy in Massachusetts
Addressing the impacts of trauma so that you can live in the present, instead of feeling stuck in the past.
how i can help
You’re ready for a different approach to therapy.
You’ve given therapy a try before. It was a lot of talking about problems and maybe exploring potential solutions, but you never felt like you were able to actually get to the root of things. You want this time to be different. You don’t want a handout of coping skills, or advice on what you should do. Instead, you’re craving a space where you can “dig deep” to explore the issues that you’re facing and create meaningful and lasting change.
Maybe you:
Have intense emotional responses that seem out of proportion to the present situation.
Feel like you can’t move on from the past.
Fluctuate between anxious overwhelm and numb disconnectedness.
Are tired of feeling the weight of guilt and shame.
Feel ready to do the deep work of healing.
Trauma Therapy with me is…
Supporting your nervous system so that you can build an internal sense of safety, and confidently return to a regulated state.
Connecting to your younger self/inner child and offering them the attunement, care, and support they need and deserve.
Safely and intentionally revisiting old memories to reduce the emotional intensity and arrive at a feeling of resolution.
Integrating various methods, such as relational therapy, psychodynamic, parts/ego states, and EMDR.
Trauma Therapy with me is not…
Spending session after session talking in detail about your trauma and hoping that things get better.
Pushing you to stay in overwhelming or dysregulated states without the skills or resources to return to safety.
A one-size-fits-all approach, or a manualized checklist.
faqs
Common questions about EMDR.
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EMDR is an evidence-based treatment that can help you heal from past experiences that are still impacting you today. The early phases of EMDR are focused on exploring current situations that are “activating” intense emotions or memories, and working together to build resources to improve coping. We’ll also take a look at the past and identify memories and past experiences that may be contributing to your current struggles.
The next phase of EMDR is about reprocessing the memories we’ve identified as root causes of your current suffering. This entails focusing on the memory while experiencing bilateral / dual attention stimulus. I will provide support and guidance throughout this process. Our goal is for the memories and associated emotions to feel less intense, and for you to arrive at a feeling of resolution. Ultimately, this should help lessen the impact of those past experiences on your daily life
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While the name of the therapy contains the term “eye movements,” research has shown that other forms of bilateral stimulation (BLS), such as tactile or auditory options, are also effective. Some clients prefer tappers/buzzers, which are small handheld paddles. You put one in each hand and they alternate vibrations.
The theory behind BLS is that it activates a calming response in the nervous system and taxes your working memory so that you are paying attention to 2 things at once: the distressing memory and the BLS. This “dual attention” weakens the intensity of the memory because your brain can’t fully focus on both at the same time. As a result, the memory starts to feel less vivid and emotionally charged, while creating space for new insight and a present-day perspective.
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A great thing about EMDR is that we can reprocess a memory without you sharing details about it. While you may be able to recall a full narrative, it’s also common for that not to be the case. Because of how the brain processes experiences and stores memory during stressful or traumatic events, you may be left with an incomplete or fragmented memory. In any case, I can support you with reprocessing.
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It may sound like a simple and straightforward process. Sometimes it is. But if your experience of trauma has been chronic, occurred in the context of relationships (especially with caregivers in childhood), or is complex in some way - our work together may be slower paced with an emphasis on weaving in other therapeutic approaches to prepare for and support reprocessing.
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The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) has lots of information about EMDR and the theory behind it. You can access that website here.
I’m also happy to answer any questions you have during an initial consultation.
I want you to know:
Change is possible.
Let’s work together to get you unstuck from the past.