Understanding the pathways to healing

All of our experiences are stored in brain pathways by categories of association. Traumatic experiences can get stuck in the emotionally reactive part of our brain. Without fully knowing what is happening we can get hijacked into feeling the danger from the past is threatening us in our present circumstance. This can cause disruptions in the stability of our life and relationships.

EMDR

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desentization and Reprocessing. It is an evidence based effective treatment for eliminating internal obstacles, dealing with life crises, changing repetitive behavior patterns and addressing anxiety, phobias and traumatic events.

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Mindfulness

To be mindful is to learn to pause events in our life, notice how we are impacted, evaluate what past events may influence our perception, realize we can master our response with well thought out intention.

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Ted D. Dog

Service Animal for PTSD

Ted D, Golden-doodle hybrid breed, just turned 3 in November 2021. He was trained by Positive Pets in Meridian, Idaho for the purpose of working with clients who struggle with post traumatic stress, dissociation and anxiety. Ted struggles a bit with anxiety so he has a lot of compassion and understanding. Research has shown that simply petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol , while the social interaction between people and their dogs actually increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (the same hormone that bonds mothers to babies). Find out more about this research by clicking the button below

John Hopkins Medicine - The Friend

About Me

Treatment philosophy

In my practice I create a safe environment to explore past wounds, process current obstacles and find meaning and purpose for a brighter future. I offer tools necessary to respond to stressful situations, strengthening the core of who you are and what you hope to become, creating your own resiliency; your tenacity for living. Resiliency can be learned. You have the capacity to heal from trauma. I have the training to get you there.

Resiliency

Background

Prior to becoming a counselor, I worked with law enforcement for over 14 years providing crisis intervention for victims of violent crimes. I am familiar with the operations of the criminal judicial system as well as law enforcement investigations. I received the research project of the year award in 2015 from the Counseling Education Department at NNU for my research on resiliency in romantic relationships. I received my Masters of Science in Counseling from Northwest Nazarene University. I am certified in EMDR.

Treatment Specialties

Let's rewrite the narrative

I agree with many experts in the field of psychotherapy that numerous mental health conditions are often the result of unresolved trauma.

Why EMDR for trauma

The core of EMDR treatment involves activating (accessing through verbal recall) components of the traumatic memory or disturbing life event and pairing those components with alternating bilateral or dual attention stimulation (back & forth crossing the center eye movement,tapping or alternating audio). This process appears to facilitate the return of normal information processing and integration. This treatment approach may result in alleviation of presenting symptoms, reduced distress related to the memory, improved self-esteem, relief from somatic symptoms, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers

EMDR Research