Hi there; I'm Eileen. It's good to see you here. If you're reading this, you've already taken a big step towards your own healing and growth. Sometimes, getting to the point of seeking outside support can feel like a journey in and of itself. I hope I can be a part of your journey from here. A little about me: while I have experience in helping folks with a broad range of issues, I specialize in helping people to heal from past experiences of trauma. I have extensive training in a number of evidenced-based techniques, and I am constantly seeking out new ways to help the people I serve. I recognize that trauma impacts every person differently, and so I don't believe in a "one size fits all" approach to therapy. It is my goal that you feel seen and heard, and that your treatment be tailored to your individual needs and life experience. I also believe in treating the whole person - mind, body, and spirit - and to that end, I often incorporate things like mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and other mind/body practices into my work. I'm interested in learning about you - your life, your experiences - and then using what I learn to help you towards your goals. I believe that you are the key to your own healing, and that you are more than what has happened to you. I see my role as one of guiding you and offering you tools that empower you to overcome the things that you might feel are holding you back - whether that's past trauma, struggles with anxiety or depression, unhealthy relationships, or patterns of thought or behavior that are no longer serving you. Whatever your goals may be, you deserve to have compassion and support as you work towards them. I'm looking forward to providing that to you. Let's get started!
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
When we first meet, my focus is on understanding as much about you and your life as I can. To that end, our first session will be a lot of me asking you questions to try to gather as much context as possible. We will also establish initial goals for therapy. From there, we'Il begin to focus your treatment on those goals. I often joke with my clients that future sessions will feel a lot less like an interrogation, and a lot more like a conversation. I'll bring in specific theories and approaches over the course of our work together that feel relevant to your growth. Sometimes, we might agree on "homework" between sessions, as a way of carrying the work throughout the week. Throughout it all, we will reflect on the progress you make, refining goals as we see fit.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I begin from a person-centered place in our work together, centering you, your lived experience, and your goals. Over the course of therapy, I like to pull from a wide range of treatment methods and techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, internal family systems, positive psychology, and insight-oriented therapy. An understanding of attachment theory often comes into the work that I do, and I also utilize a number of trauma-informed approaches. Additionally, I have special training and certification in traumatic stress studies, clinical hypnosis, dance/movement therapy, Prolonged Exposure for the treatment of PTSD, and EMDR Therapy (trained clinician).
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Three of my biggest strengths as a therapist are the knowledge, compassion, and curiosity I bring to each client that I serve. In my experience of learning about trauma, I have come to believe that people make sense, given the context of their lives. Sometimes, healing can come from that understanding alone - being able to recognize the "why" of things. That often comes from a combination of outside information and insight-building. I want to help you find your "why," and I want to help you learn to be gentle and kind to yourself in the process. A quote I love from Carl Jung states, "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." By gaining awareness and insight, we also gain the ability to choose. And then, that choice brings healing.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I am particularly focused on individuals with trauma/PTSD, and other issues related to these struggles (i.e. anxiety disorders, depression and other mood disorders, substance use disorders, self-esteem, self-harming, relational issues, etc.).