Our Services

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helps people recover from trauma and painful experiences and negatively stored information to reprogram their mind’s response to triggers and promote healing.

Trauma therapy is as dynamic as the individuals who need it; overcoming difficult experiences can keep us trapped in an endless loop of pain, anxiety, anger and self-doubt. You do not need to undergo a massive loss in order to experience trauma; we are not trying to only treat soldiers traumatized by war or survivors of horrific car accidents. In fact, many people that use EMDR in their therapy are using it to treat relationship issues, childhood experiences, negative beliefs, unhealthy patterns, anxieties and anticipated fears and the list goes on.

We want to help people change the way their brain reprocesses its response to traumatic memories and negatively stored information, and EMDR therapy presents the opportunity to do just that.

HOW EMDR THERAPY WORKS

Trauma is processed in multiple areas of the brain. Two areas are specifically impacted: the amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The amygdala controls our brain’s stress response and fear; traumatic events can cause the amygdala to overreact, keeping us in a constant state of fear. This is why so many people feel like they’re reliving the exact moment over and over again whenever they experience a traumatic trigger.

CHANGING THE BRAIN’S RESPONSE TO TRAUMA

The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex control learning, decision-making, emotions and behavior. The brain is designed to respond to trauma, enacting a stress response that prepares our bodies to defend us from a threat.

Unfortunately, sometimes, the brain does not move forward from trauma. Rather than processing it as a memory and moving forward, people relive the same fear and panic over and over again. PTSD flashbacks, panic attacks, numbness, shutdown and overwhelming anxiety are all results of trauma, and EMDR is designed to alleviate them.

THE PROCESS

In EMDR therapy, your therapist will help you identify traumatic memories and your beliefs surrounding them. Then, positive beliefs are discussed and oriented as goals for treatment.

Rapid eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation are then used to help the brain process new information. This process connects the neural pathways that held the traumatic information to neural pathways that have the present and adaptive information in the brain hence giving the brain the information it needs to desensitize and reprocess.

You remain in the present, avoid panic and make a neurological shift in how your brain responds to the past. It’s less intrusive than traditional trauma treatment; you heal from the past whole safely rooted in the present moment.

WHAT DOES EMDR THERAPY TREAT?

EMDR is often associated with treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder but it actually treats so much more. EMDR’s use is endless. It is used to treat single incident traumas and complex and/or repeated trauma. It can help people struggling with self confidence, hope, grief, anxiety, despair, ruptures in relationships ect. EMDR is also used as a resource, resiliency building modality as well.

Mental health professionals have begun using EMDR as a treatment for conditions including Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), anxiety disorders, addiction and eating disorders and it’s often used as an early trauma on-set intervention.

If you are struggling with overcoming trauma, we can help. Whether you would like to try EMDR or explore other forms of therapy, contact us today to learn about your options. There is always help, and there is always hope.

Pain is, unfortunately, a part of life, but some people experience extreme levels of it that causes them to become fearful, depressed and isolated. Living with trauma can make you feel like you can’t turn to anyone, even when you are desperately in need of support and comfort. You may even feel guilt over what you witnessed or went through.

Therapy can help you begin to recover from trauma and abuse. Healing takes time and hard work, but the ability to experience life, trust others, love and be loved is worth the effort.

TRAUMA AND ABUSE COUNSELING

Counseling for people dealing with trauma and abuse is rooted in safety. We want to first build a trusting relationship with you; your thoughts and feelings are not going to be judged or rejected here.

We only want to help you understand the role trauma plays in your life and how it’s influencing your thoughts, feelings and behavior. Doing so will make it easier to come up with treatment goals that give you relief in the present while recovering from the past.

BENEFITS OF TRAUMA THERAPY

Therapy helps you better understand how trauma and abuse have impacted your life. You will learn how to feel safe again, both within yourself and in relationships with other people.

You will learn how to develop and assert healthy boundaries in your relationships to prevent experiencing abuse in the future; you will learn how to identify and cope with triggers that cause you to relive your trauma, and you will learn to decrease your symptoms of depression, anxiety, fear and worry by learning healthy coping mechanisms.

SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA AND ABUSE

Trauma affects people in various ways; some people become fearful and anxious while others become detached and angry. You may not even fully understand the scope of trauma’s role in your life.

Some of the signs you are living with unhealed trauma include:

• Feeling like you are worthless and unlovable.
• Fearing that people will hurt you or abandon you.
• Being afraid to say the wrong thing and anger someone.
• Difficulty saying how you really feel.
• Doing or saying things just to make sure other people like you.
• Using drugs or alcohol to cope with intrusive thoughts or uncomfortable feelings.
• Having nightmares about a traumatic event or abusive people.

HOW THERAPY HELPS YOU RECOVER FROM TRAUMA

Counseling can help you find yourself beyond your pain; therapy helps you begin to build the confidence you need to recover from trauma in a safe environment. You will not be forced to confront memories you aren’t ready to address. With time and patience, you can begin to build a life for yourself beyond hurt, fear and self-doubt.

To learn more about the types of trauma therapy we offer or to schedule an appointment, contact us today.

CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY

Children can experience mental health problems just as much as adults, but the best treatment is not the same as traditional talk therapy. Children may experience grief, depression, anxiety or have neurodevelopmental disorders like autism that impact their ability to express themselves. Frustration on a child’s part can quickly lead to behavioral issues. Child’s play therapy is one way for counselors to connect with young patients and help them gain important skills that benefit their emotional and mental health.

WHAT IS CHILD’S PLAY THERAPY?

Children all have rich inner worlds that are invisible to adults. Through imaginative play, they express their thoughts and feelings in ways that may not ever be spoken. A shy child who struggles to connect with her classmates may reveal that she is socially anxious through the way she makes two dolls interact; a little boy whose tantrums and aggressive outbursts are getting him in trouble at school may reveal that he is actually feeling ignored and upset through the way he builds and demolishes a block tower.

Children’s play therapists know how to guide a child through a series of play-oriented exercises, then interpret what the child’s play style reveals to gain further insight of their mental state. Feelings that children struggle to recognize or express everyday emerge through play therapy – anxiety, helplessness, stress and grief to name a few.

Play therapists can then tailor their own responses to a child’s play and help them confront issues they’re facing in a way that does not feel confrontational or scary. Together, they can begin to develop skills and understanding that give children the confidence and comfort they need to grow.

WHAT DOES PLAY THERAPY HELP WITH?

Child’s play helps young clients get in touch with their emotions, express repressed feelings while avoiding trauma, and develop important skills that they may be lacking. Non-verbal children with selective mutism or autism spectrum disorder may become increasingly verbal through play therapy; children who are acting out at home or in school are likely to reveal what’s really going on as they take on another voice through the toys they’re provided.

BENEFITS OF CHILD’S PLAY THERAPY

Through structured playtime with a licensed counselor, children can develop confidence, express their emotions and help them make sense of their feelings and the world around them. For young children, toys adopt the role of words they do not have, and therapists act as translators.

Child’s play therapy can help treat behavioral problems by providing parents with a greater understanding of the underlying cause. As solutions are provided to both parents and children at appropriate levels, successful results can help bring families closer together and help a child feel accepted, understood and loved.

Imagine a calmer, happier home or classroom that’s free from power struggles, yelling and nagging, and filled with joy and mutual respect. Our passion has always been to change lives by helping parents and educators enjoy positive relationships with kids while preparing them to become happy, responsible adults.

Love and Logic Example Class

Participants will learn how to put an end to arguing, back talk and begging. Love and Logic® teaches how to set limits without waging war while avoiding power struggles along the way. Parents will also learn to teach responsibility without losing their child’s love while guiding them to solve their own problems. Love and Logic ® will also give you strategies to teach kids to complete chores without reminders and
without pay.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s. It is based on the idea that the mind is made up of different “parts,” each with its own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. These parts can represent various aspects of our personality, and often form in response to early experiences or unresolved conflicts.

Key Concepts in IFS:

1. Parts: The basic building blocks of IFS therapy. These parts are often categorized into:

• Exiles: Parts that are typically vulnerable, hurt, or traumatized. These parts often hold emotional pain and memories that we might have repressed or tried to avoid.
• Managers: These parts work to protect us from pain or harm by managing our day-to-day life. They might take on roles such as being overly controlling, perfectionistic, or avoidant.
• Firefighters: These parts react impulsively to protect us from overwhelming emotional pain (e.g., through distractions like substance use, binge eating, or dissociation).

2. Self: The concept of the “Self” in IFS represents the core of who we are—our true, compassionate, and wise center. In a healthy state, the Self leads the internal system, providing balance, harmony, and healing. The goal of IFS therapy is to help the individual access their Self, allowing them to heal the parts that need attention.

3. Internal System: In IFS, the mind is viewed as a system with these various parts interacting with each other. Ideally, these parts work in harmony, but trauma or unresolved issues can cause parts to become fragmented or at odds with one another.

4. Unblending: In IFS, “blending” refers to when a part becomes dominant and overwhelms the Self, leading to intense emotional reactions or behaviors. “Unblending” is the process of separating from these parts so that the Self can step forward and take the lead.

5. Healing: The goal of IFS therapy is to help the individual understand and transform their relationship with their parts, especially the wounded ones (Exiles), and create a more harmonious internal system. The therapist helps the person access their Self, and the Self can then provide compassion, understanding, and healing to the parts that are in need of attention.

How IFS Works in Therapy:

In IFS, a therapist helps a person connect with and explore their various parts. The therapist creates a safe environment to help the individual communicate with these parts, understand their roles, and work toward healing and integration. A key aspect of IFS is working with the parts without judgment and with the intention of understanding their purpose.

For example:

• A person might have an inner part that criticizes them (a “Manager”), and another part that tries to numb painful feelings (a “Firefighter”).
• Through IFS, the person can learn to separate from these parts and connect with their “Self,” which can then step in with compassion and curiosity to understand why these parts developed and how they can be healed.

Benefits of IFS:

• Healing trauma: IFS helps individuals process past trauma by addressing the parts of themselves that carry unresolved emotional wounds.
• Self-compassion: By fostering a connection with the Self, IFS encourages a sense of compassion and understanding toward oneself.
• Improved emotional regulation: As people understand and harmonize their internal parts, they can better manage emotional reactions and behaviors.
• Conflict resolution: IFS helps resolve internal conflicts, as parts that may be at odds with one another learn to cooperate under the guidance of the Self.

IFS has been applied to various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and relationship difficulties. It is also used as a framework for personal growth and self-awareness.

In summary, IFS offers a unique way of understanding the complexity of the human psyche by recognizing that we are made up of many different parts, each with its own needs and perspectives. It encourages a compassionate, non-judgmental approach to integrating these parts for healing and well-being.