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Therapy Services

Trauma Therapy for Complex PTSD, Dissociation, and Grief

Individualized, Depth-Oriented Treatment

I am dedicated to working with complex trauma presentations, including dissociative disorders, attachment trauma, and complicated grief. The focus of this work is not on managing symptoms alone, but on identifying and reprocessing the underlying patterns that continue to drive distress at a nervous system level.

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Many individuals seeking this level of care have previously engaged in therapy that did not fully address the depth or complexity of their experience. This approach is designed specifically for those who require a more specialized, structured, and integrative model.

Complex Trauma & Attachment Wounds

  • Developmental and relational trauma

  • Disorganized attachment patterns

  • Chronic emotional and psychological injury

  • Trauma rooted in early caregiving environments

Dissociative Disorders

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

  • Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD)

  • Depersonalization and derealization

  • Identity fragmentation and internal parts dynamics

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This work is grounded in a deep understanding of structural dissociation and requires careful pacing, stabilization, and system-wide integration.

Abuse & Institutional Trauma

  • Sexual abuse

  • Psychological and emotional abuse

  • Coercive and controlling environments

  • Survivors of the troubled teen industry (TTI)

 

Treatment emphasizes restoring autonomy, rebuilding internal safety, and processing trauma that occurred in environments where trust was disrupted.

Trauma & Complicated Grief

  • Traumatic loss and bereavement

  • Attachment-based grief

  • Loss of identity or sense of self

  • Unresolved relational bonds

 

This work integrates EMDR-based grief protocols and IADC-informed approaches when appropriate, supporting the processing of grief that remains unintegrated.

Have something else going on?  If you need help determining whether I would be a good support for you on your journey to emotional health, please contact me here.

Treatment Modalities:
A Structured, Integrative Approach

  • Adapted for dissociation and complex trauma, with a strong emphasis on safety and pacing.

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    Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing is a highly researched approach that uses bilateral stimulation (such as hand buzzers or a light bar that is followed with your eyes) to stimulate the brain into Adaptive Information Processing. When trauma or persistent stressors happen in our life it can disrupt the adaptive memory system causing memories to be stored in a dysfunctional manner. EMDR gradually moves reprocessed memories to the long term left hemisphere memory system and away from the right short term memory system that holds emotional and physiological stress responses where it remained stuck, therefore decreasing symptoms.

    A Stabilization-First Approach

    Healing begins with building safety—not just externally, but internally. Before trauma processing, we focus on:

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    • Developing grounding and regulation skills

    • Increasing awareness of your nervous system responses

    • Creating internal resources and a sense of containment

    • Supporting your ability to stay present without overwhelm

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    Stabilization is essential. It allows the system to develop the capacity needed for deeper work without triggering shutdown or flooding.

    Adapted for Complex Trauma & Dissociation

    EMDR is used as the primary framework for reprocessing trauma, but it is carefully adapted for complexity. This includes:

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    • Slower, titrated pacing

    • Integration with parts work (ego states)

    • Strong emphasis on safety and containment

    • Adjustments to support dissociative systems

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    Rather than pushing into traumatic material, we:

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    • Build cooperation within the internal system

    • Strengthen resources and stability

    • Process trauma in manageable, contained ways

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    This allows reprocessing to occur without overwhelming the nervous system.

    Transformation Without Invalidation

    The goal of this work is not to “fix” a dissociative brain, but to understand and honor it for what it is—an adaptive, intelligent system that developed to help you survive overwhelming experiences. Over time, this may include:

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    • A more cohesive and stable sense of self

    • Reduced internal conflict and fragmentation

    • Greater emotional regulation

    • Increased ability to be present in relationships and daily life

  • Supporting communication, cooperation, and integration within the internal system.

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    Parts work, or Internal Family Systems (IFS) theory, is a psychotherapeutic approach that conceptualizes the mind as a system composed of various subpersonalities or "parts." According to this theory, parts develop as adaptive responses to life experiences and serve different functions. The goal of IFS is to help individuals understand and reconcile the dynamics between these parts, fostering harmony and balance within the internal system. Through guided exploration, clients learn to identify and communicate with their different parts and recognize their unique perspectives and needs. 

  • Accessing and processing non-verbal material that cannot be reached through traditional talk therapy.

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    Art therapy is a therapeutic approach that taps into expressing feelings without words. Often times, when we experience trauma, the prefrontal cortex (verbal part of our brain) shuts down, making it difficult to access verbal forms of expression. Art therapy is a way to explore these feelings in a way that can feel less threatening than words. There is no prior art experience needed for this approach. This can also be combined with traditional therapy, EMDR, somatic therapy and/ or Reiki, treating mind, body and spirit simultaneously.

    Using Art Therapy Within EMDR for Dissociation

    Working with dissociation often requires approaches that extend beyond verbal processing. Many clients with complex trauma and dissociative disorders hold experiences in non-verbal, sensory, and symbolic forms that are not easily accessed through traditional dialogue.

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    Integrating art therapy within EMDR provides a structured way to access, externalize, and safely process this material while maintaining stabilization and dual awareness.

    Why Integration Matters

    In dissociative systems, internal experiences may be:

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    • Fragmented across parts

    • Difficult to describe or access verbally

    • Associated with rapid shifts in state or awareness

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    Art therapy supports EMDR by offering a visual and symbolic bridge between internal experience and conscious processing. This allows clients to engage with material without becoming overwhelmed or disconnected.

    A Structured, Integrated Approach

    The integration of art therapy within EMDR is grounded in clinical intention and guided by the needs of each individual system. It is particularly beneficial for:

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    • Individuals with dissociative disorders (DID/OSDD)

    • Individuals with high levels of fragmentation or internal parts

    • Individuals who struggle to access or articulate traumatic experiences

    • Complex trauma presentations where standard EMDR requires adaptation

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    By incorporating visual and symbolic processing into EMDR, this approach expands the capacity for healing—allowing clients to engage with trauma in ways that are accessible, contained, and ultimately integrative.

  • Induced After-Death Communication (IADC) therapy is a brief, intensive psychotherapeutic treatment designed to quickly alleviate intense grief and traumatic loss. Developed in 1995 by clinical psychologist Dr. Allan Botkin, the therapy is an adaptation of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

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    Grief work that incorporates IADC represents a fundamentally different approach because it shifts the goal of therapy from detaching from the loss to transforming the relationship to it.

     Why IADC is Different: It Moves Beyond “Letting Go”

    Traditional grief models often emphasize:

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    • acceptance

    • closure

    • gradually “moving on”

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    IADC-informed work recognizes that for many people—especially with attachment trauma or traumatic loss—the bond does not simply resolve through insight or time. Instead, the focus becomes:

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    • transforming the attachment

    • resolving unfinished emotional experiences

    • allowing connection to shift, rather than disappear

    Why IADC is Different: It Works at the Nervous System Level (Not Just Cognitive Processing)

    Grief—especially traumatic grief—is often held somatically and emotionally, not just as thoughts. IADC is typically integrated within EMDR, which means:

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    • activation of memory networks

    • bilateral stimulation

    • access to implicit emotional material

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    This allows grief to be processed in a way that:

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    • reduces distress

    • integrates the loss

    • resolves “stuck” emotional states

    Why IADC is Different: It Can Shift Grief Rapidly When It Has Been “Stuck”

    In cases of complicated grief, clients often report:

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    • feeling frozen in the loss

    • no change despite time or therapy

    • persistent emotional intensity

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    IADC-informed work can create a corrective emotional experience, allowing the nervous system to reorganize how the loss is held.

    This doesn’t erase grief—but it often transforms it from:

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    • acute, destabilizing pain
      → into

    • integrated, meaningful connection

  • Reiki originated in Japan, developed by Mikao Usui. Practitioners use gentle hand placements (on or just above the body) to promote relaxation and balance. Reiki is often described as helping restore “energy flow.” Whether you interpret that literally or as a relaxation response, many people feel more mentally clear and grounded afterward.

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    A sense of connection to something greater—whether spiritual, relational, or existential—can support healing by reducing isolation, increasing emotional capacity, and creating a felt sense of safety. When the nervous system is able to soften and release constant vigilance, deeper processing becomes more accessible. This does not replace trauma work, but can enhance the conditions in which meaningful integration occurs.Many clients experience this as a sense of “energy shifting,” which reflects changes in how the body and brain are processing and integrating experience.

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    During energy healing, people often:

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    • slow their breathing

    • feel stillness

    • experience safety without effort

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    This signals the brain:  “I am not in danger”  This can reduce:

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    • hypervigilance

    • emotional reactivity

    • chronic stress activation

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    Relaxation and safety states are associated with:

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    • ↓ cortisol (stress hormone)

    • ↑ serotonin (mood regulation)

    • ↑ dopamine (reward/connection)

    • ↑ oxytocin (safety/connection)

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    These shifts support: 

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    • calm

    • emotional openness

    • connection

This approach may be a good fit if you:

Who This Work is For

Have a history of chronic, relational, or developmental trauma

Experience dissociation, internal parts, or identity fragmentation

Feel that previous therapy did not reach the depth you needed

Are navigating unresolved grief alongside trauma

Are seeking a specialized, expert-driven approach

Next Steps

Therapy begins with a consultation to determine fit and assess your needs, history, and goals.

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This ensures that the work is aligned, appropriately paced, and tailored to the complexity of your experience.

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