My Approach

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My Approach

A Purpose Driven Integrative Approach

Every individual is unique, and requires treatment geared to that person’s background and experiences. My method is to draw on a multitude of research, ideas, and perspectives, and tailor an approach designed to fit individual personalities and differences by employing what I call a purpose driven integrative approach.

In recovery myself, I am passionate about helping others to recover. To recover not only from the addiction, but also from the roots of that addiction, be it trauma, anxiety, depression, or family issues. I view abstinence as the beginning of the healing process, not the end. Healing has occurred when the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual components are healthy and balanced.

My recovery, and the recovery experiences of others, provides a context for understanding and treating substance abuse, yet it does not dominate or rule my practice.

Treating the Whole Person

My work is focused on treating the whole individual and any systems around them. I view families and the systems in our community as gears in a clock; we all turn each other. Therefore, I enjoy working with all those systems to help restore balance.

I am a licensed therapist (LMFT) with an advanced certification in addiction (LAADC), allowing me to treat substance abuse and mental health issues together, rather than separately. Some people may refer to this as “co-occuring” or “dual diagnosis” issues.

While I draw on several approaches when working with clients, my practice is grounded in the field of Interpersonal Neurobiology of Attachment. Simply put, Interpersonal neurobiology is a science-based discipline explaining how relationships shape and form not only how our brains grow and develop but also influences the way we view ourselves, regulate our emotions, and interpret the world around us.

Treating Trauma

Trauma, be it “Shock” Trauma or “Relational” Trauma, is often at the root of addiction and mental health issues. While talk therapy is effective and helpful, it can be limited when it comes to resolving the biological and psychological effects of trauma, especially early childhood trauma. That is why I sought out to get trained in the leading trauma modalities that effectively and safely release and resolve unresolved trauma; EMDR and CRM.

EMDR is heavily researched and backed with peer reviewed studies and found to be highly effective for treating traumas, large or small. My experience has taught me EMDR is extremely effective for “single incident” or “later in life” traumas that happen after our Sense of Self is established and strong; making it easier to “shake it off” and move on.

CRM is a comprehensive approach extremely effective for more fragile populations who have experienced life long trauma, early childhood trauma, and dissociation. It is much more supportive and gentle than EMDR due to the heavy emphasis on “resourcing” the brain and body allowing it to remember and release the trauma without re-traumatizing the individual. While I am a proponent of EMDR it can be highly triggering for more sensitive populations. This resourcing allows the brain and body to drop into the wounded places it needs to in order to heal without triggering the body’s natural defense responses. This is why talk therapy and other trauma modalities can keep people stuck or see no resolution; the brain and body are automatically trying to protect itself so they stuck in the trauma loop.