Desiderata Counseling

Trauma work has been foundational to my practice since I began counseling in 2017. Whether I was supporting families in crisis at higher levels of care, working with adolescents in the juvenile justice system, or meeting clients in outpatient settings, there has often been an aspect of trauma that needed to be addressed for real healing and growth to happen. I’m trained in both EMDR and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and I draw from both modalities and others depending on what each client needs.

My general approach to trauma work is client centered and relationship focused. I believe that healing happens at the pace that feels right for each person, and I work to honor people’s past experiences with empathy. Much of trauma work involves breaking down the narratives people have built around what happened to them, whether that is a single incident trauma (such as a car accident) or chronic and complex trauma (such as a history of child abuse or neglect). I often hear stories rooted in shame, self blame, feeling undeserving of love, or believing the world is fundamentally unsafe. Together we work to find peace, acceptance, and ways to adapt even when trauma is part of someone’s story. I also incorporate DBT techniques as needed to build emotional regulation skills, because feeling more grounded and in control of your emotions is often a necessary foundation for deeper trauma processing.

I believe that relational wounds usually heal best within relationships, both through the safety and connection of the therapeutic relationship and by developing the skills and self awareness that allow people to show up more fully in their relationships outside of therapy. I work with adolescents and adults ages thirteen and up, and while my approach adapts for different ages and experiences, the heart of the work remains the same.