Licensed to practice in Colorado and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Codependency, Trauma and PTSD, Self Esteem
(he/him)
New to Grow
Hi! I am a LPC with fourteen years of experience in EMDR and CBT based therapies. I believe that trauma plays a big role in the lives of people. Trauma comes in many forms and levels of impact. If we are able to process trauma and find healing, we can experience growth, wisdom, and strength of character. If not processed and healed, trauma can become a source of depression, isolation, anxiety and loss of identity. Secondary to the trauma treatment is focus on coping, communication, connections, identity building, and problem solving. We will work to build a better sense of power and control in your life, which is the core of emotional and psychological wellbeing.
The first session will be spent getting to know you, your needs, and the tools we can offer to help you heal and become the person you want to be. We will do some basic paperwork, an initial diagnostic assessment, and a treatment plan. We will also make sure you understand how various therapies work. We will also take steps to make sure you are safe and supported.
I think the biggest asset I bring to my therapy is a lifetime of struggle to build towards my own goals and sense of identity. Communication, confidence, and relationship building were not naturally strong areas for me early in life and it has taken a lot of work and growth to arrive where I am today. I can share the structure and methods I have learned over this time to others who have struggles and help overcome barriers to growth. I also have a strong understanding of how trauma and conditioning impact lives.
I work best with clients who want freedom from trauma and negative conditioning. Clients that want to understand themselves and how they can best interact with the world around them. Someone who is willing to set realistic goals and create steps to make them happen. A client must accept the need to examine areas that might be connected to bad experiences and toxic relationships. I will support you through these things but you need to be willing to take a deep look at the things impacting your life.
CBT helps people recognize areas in their thought process that cause them to react to various people, places, or situations in ways that are contrary to their goals and values. We help clients become aware of preconceptions that might prevent effective responses. Once these preconceptions are identified, we help clients take more balances and realistic approaches to problems or needs.
EMDR is based off of the natural processes your brain uses to heal itself. EM stands for eye movement. REM sleep, often connected to dreaming. is a way the brain processes experiences that caused distress to a point of conclusion. It lets the fight/ flight part of the brain know that there is no longer a reason to fight or flee from the thing that triggered it. Sometimes, people get parts of themself stuck in a past traumatic event or situations. EMDR helps the brain get unstuck and have that part of you back to focus on the present and future. D stands for desensitization. If a trauma is not completely healed; people, places and things that remind them of the trauma can trigger excessive anger, fear, or despair. EMDR can help disconnect these people. places, and things from the trauma they are triggering and give you more freedom to experience life for what it is. R is reprocessing. People often develop beliefs and other thought processes under unsafe and unhealthy circumstances. We will work to help you change these (see CBT) to be more accurate to current needs and circumstances.
Narrative therapy helps trauma and negative conditioning survivors escape from the impact of the "freeze" response to traumas. Sometimes we don't have the ability to fight OR flee when facing threatening situations. The feeling of powerlessness this causes can get stuck in place, causing ongoing anxiety, depression, and shame. Narrative therapy can't change the past but allowing a client to retell the story where they can successfully fight the threat or flee from it helps the client close the fight/ flight loop and feel more empowerment as they face their current life challenges.