the story behind my practice
Having worked as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma treatment, mood & anxiety disorders, and children's mental health, I unexpectedly found myself on the other side of the therapist's chair a few times throughout my career. These experiences provided me with invaluable firsthand insight into the mental health system. The first two instances were brief and, unfortunately, highlighted what not to do as a helping professional. However, the third time, facing a prolonged trauma in my personal life, I had a positive therapeutic experience which reinforced the principles I advocate in my practice.
Despite utilizing my professional knowledge to support myself, I recognized the necessity of an objective perspective to navigate intense emotions and profound despair. Additionally, my involvement in the children’s medical system allowed me to witness the heart-wrenching separation of caregivers from their medically fragile children. As a passionate advocate for children's well-being, I actively demonstrated trauma containment and collaborated with medical staff to integrate children’s mental health perspectives into their practices.
My personal experiences have also granted me a deep understanding of the sophisticated connection between our mind and body. During my daughter's recovery from a major and unexpected surgery, I witnessed firsthand how her body responded to physical trauma, despite her lack of conscious awareness. In my professional training, I had heard about the body's ability to retain traumatic experiences, but facing the challenge of finding adequate support within our systems, including the medical field, was eye-opening.
Although my background in trauma treatment was from a cognitive perspective, the scarcity of somatic services prompted me to transition my practice. Through experimentation and perseverance, I applied somatic bodywork to help alleviate my daughter's chronic, persistent pain from physical trauma. Months later, I was able to dive into the research and practice, seeking guidance from experts in body trauma. Additionally, drawing on my knowledge of the gut microbiome and its impact on mental health through the gut-brain axis, I have been able to integrate these insights into a holistic mental health practice that deeply understands and respects the incredible role that our nervous system plays in mental health and wellbeing.
All of these experiences have profoundly shaped my understanding of our social systems. While originally designed to support us, these systems often fall short in their current form. Nevertheless, through these challenges, both personal and professional, I've gained trust in myself and my community to navigate adversity and have learned valuable life lessons from my own adverse experiences. In my therapy practice, I integrate many of these lessons to support clients in cultivating their own strengths that empower them with confidence and adaptability, so they too can learn life long resiliency skills to help them navigate their own adverse challenges.
