Pasadena Trauma Therapist
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT #137335
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
As a trauma therapist, I am dedicated to working with individuals and couples struggling with various mental health and relational challenges. I specialize in treating PTSD, Complex-Trauma, dissociative disorders, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, attachment disorders and relationship issues/betrayals – including discernment counseling for partners who need guidance and are unsure about the future of their relationship. I am also passionate about working with survivors of sexual abuse and fellow mental health professionals.
Therapy is unique to each person and I believe in tailoring my education, training, and professional experiences to fit my clients’ specific needs and goals. As a clinician, I value holding a safe, compassionate and curious space for clients to explore, process, and heal the wounded parts of themselves. I also enjoy helping clients tap into and expand their desired states of being i.e. acceptance, creativity, confidence, peace.
I utilize multiple modalities to help clients on their journey towards self-awareness, growth, and healing:
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) and “parts work”
- Brainspotting Certified
- Trauma Regulation Integration Process (T.R.I.P)
- Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples and Individuals (EFT or EFIT)
I am a Brainspotting Certified practitioner and have witnessed the powerful healing Brainspotting can have on a client without talking about the trauma. Brainspotting is a somatic therapy that helps clients access the subcortical (non-verbal) part of the brain, where trauma is stored. According to the creator of brainspotting, David Grand, “Where you look affects how you feel.” Since our eyes give us access to the subcortical brain, Brainspotting uses the visual field as a way to help process and release stored trauma memories. Brainspotting can also assist clients in reaching performance goals (athletes, musicians, creatives, etc.) and preferred states of being (ie: joy, acceptance, confidence) by using Expansion Brainspotting. If you’d like more information on Brainspotting, please click here.
The T.R.I.P model has been influenced by the ideas, theories, concepts, and practices of the following therapies and seeks to integrate key aspects of each of these therapies:
- OEI – One Eye Integration/Observed & Experiential Integration
- IFS – Internal Family Systems
- SP/SE – Sensorimotor Psychotherapy/Somatic Experiencing
- EFT – Emotionally Focused Therapy
- Developmental Attachment theory – Dr, G. Neufeld (Neufeld institute)
If you would like more information on T.R.I.P., please click here.
Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFT/EFIT) assists individuals and couples in exploring and identifying automatic negative cycles of interactions that lead to distress and disconnection in relationships. EFT considers each partner’s attachment styles and helps to identify underlying emotions that trigger the automatic negative cycles. Mapping the automatic negative cycles, identifying and expressing underlying soft emotions helps couples gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their partner and the relationship. Couples will also learn how to navigate challenging situations and authentically express their emotions in ways that create connection and trust.
Discernment Counseling (DC) is a unique approach to counseling that can last between 1-5 sessions. DC specifically helps couples arrive at a greater clarity and confidence in their decision making about the future of their relationship based on a deeper understanding of the problems in the relationship and ways each person contributes.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University Fullerton
- Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University Fullerton
Trainings/Certifications
Brainspotting Certified
- Phase 1 & 2 with Lisa Larson, LMFT
- Expansion Brainspotting with Lisa Larson, LMFT
- Freeze to Thaw: Unlocking Trauma in the Body with Mary Jane O’Rourke, Serene Calkins
- Brainspotting Couples Co-regulating with Cherie Lindberg, LMFT
- Brainspotting and Parts Work with Cherie Lindberg, LMFT
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) Externship with Nancy Gardner, PhD
Healing The Trauma That Surrounds Medical Syndromes with IFS by Dr. Lisa Rankin and Dr. Dick Schwartz
Trauma Healing: Energy, Neuroscience and Spirituality with IFS by Dr. Frank Anderson
Embracing our Legacy Burdens and Heirlooms Workshop by Osnat Arbel, PhD
Janina Fisher’s Trauma Treatment Certification Training (CCTP)
Working with Childhood Sexual Trauma with Cristina Mardirossian, LMFT
Working With Dissociative Identity Disorder Parts 1 & 2 with Cristina Mardirossian, LMFT
The Gottman Method Level 1 & 2
