Therapy in person in Orange County & online across CA, MA, & OH

Trauma Therapy

Specializing in childhood, relationship, & family trauma

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You’ve mastered survival. Now you’re craving peace.

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You’ve carried more than you should — and often, in silence.

Sometimes you hide behind a mask: smiling, functioning, meeting expectations. Other times the pain feels closer to the surface, rearing its head through anger, disconnection, withdrawal, guilt, and heaviness. 

The pain runs deep. 

It affects your relationships—you long to feel understood and supported, but instead find yourself pulling away, caretaking, shifting the focus to others, or getting angry when your needs go unmet. And it doesn’t stop there. It shapes how you move through the world—how you relate to your body, your emotions, and your sense of belonging.

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Maybe you’re known as the…

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  • You feel different from everyone else — misunderstood, judged, even blamed for boundaries or personal truths. Maybe you’ve been met with rigidity when you needed flexibility, harshness when you needed softness, or judgment when you needed compassion. Sometimes you rebel. Other times you hide. Either way, you’ve had to conceal core parts of yourself to survive.

  • You’ve always been perceived as “well-behaved,” “successful,” “strong,” “independent.” Maybe you needed permission to be imperfect and human. To be allowed to fall apart and ask for help. When you struggle, no one seems to see it. Your needs stay invisible—because they assume “you’re fine.”

You learned early on: people can disappoint. Needs go unmet. So you adapted.

Maybe you stopped asking for what you needed—or never asked at all—to avoid the pain of being let down. Maybe you downplay your emotions or shift focus onto others because it feels safer that way.

You say yes when you’re already spread thin. You pour yourself into work, into getting things perfect, into caretaking roles in your relationships—working endlessly to prove your worth and feel like you belong.

But your story matters. Your needs matter. You don’t have to stay stuck in this narrative forever.

At one point, it protected you. Now, it keeps you distant — from your own tenderness, from connection, from calm. Together, we can tend to the parts of you that grew out of protection in response to your trauma.

You’ve worn your mask for so long, it’s hard to remember what’s underneath.

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In our work together, we’ll slow it down and make sense of what feels stuck.

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We’ll explore what you feel, where it lives in your body, and how it pans out in your relationships and everyday life. Not to relive the pain — but to understand it. To offer the parts of you still frozen in time a soft place to thaw. To tend to the grief that was too much to hold.

Together we will witness your story and hold your pain with compassion, make room for your anger, your tenderness, your longing, and build new ways of relating — to your emotions, your body, your relationships, and yourself.

Overtime, you might begin to feel more:

  • Capable of holding space for your feelings instead of dismissing them 

  • Grounded instead of overwhelmed

  • Present instead of reactive

  • Attuned to your needs instead of numbed out

  • Connected in relationships that feel mutually respectful and authentic

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My Approach To Trauma Therapy

Client‑centered

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I honor your pace — no rushing or pushing past what your nervous system is ready for. You lead where it feels safe.

Relational

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Healing happens in connection. We’ll use the therapeutic relationship as a place to feel safe, repair, and grow.

Evidence‑informed

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 I integrate IFS, DBT, ACT, and Brainspotting to address trauma emotionally, physically, and relationally.

Social justice–oriented

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Trauma lives in bodies and context. We explore how systems, culture, identity, and power shape your experience — not just what happened to you, but the impact of all you carry.

Together, we can shift from internal chaos and disconnection — to grounded presence, intentional living, and deeper fulfillment. Healing isn’t linear, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Trauma therapy can help you…

  • Understand and honor your emotional needs to feel more connected and grounded in yourself

  • Protect your energy in a way that feels sustainable and aligned with your life and values

  • Build trust in yourself with decisions, boundaries, and evolving identity

  • Be more driven by autonomy and choice, rather than fear and protection

  • Feel more confident in how you handle challenges and show up in your relationships

  • Be more present in your life without feeling like you have to be “on” all the time

  • Extend the same dignity, kindness, and care to yourself that you share with others

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Let's work together to untangle the past, gain clarity, and build the safety and connection you’ve longed for.

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Trauma Therapy-
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • In trauma-focused therapy, we will start by building a therapeutic relationship rooted in trust, safety, and security. Trauma-focused therapy doesn’t erase your past. It teaches you to navigate your life with clarity, compassion, and connection. In trauma-focused therapy, you’ll have space to: 

    • Explore the painful experiences that have shaped your patterns and beliefs.

    • Understand how trauma has affected your nervous system, relationships, and self-esteem.

    • Learn valuable tools to calm your body when everything feels chaotic or overwhelming.

    • Unpack harmful messages you’ve internalized about yourself and your worth.

    • Reconnect with your authentic self—the version of you that feels most true and free.

  • There are many approaches to trauma therapy, and different methods work for different people. Some common trauma therapies include IFS (parts work), Brainspotting, EMDR, DBT, Somatic Experiencing, and other body-based approaches.

    In my practice, I primarily use IFS, Brainspotting, and DBT—blending depth work, nervous-system support, and practical tools. What matters most is finding a therapist and approach that feels safe, paced, and supportive for you, so your healing doesn’t feel rushed or overwhelming.

  • Yes, it’s never too late to pursue trauma healing from childhood trauma. Childhood trauma impacts your brain, your core beliefs, your behaviors, and your relationships. The good news is: your brain is adaptable and can form new healing connections! These new connections can change the way you relate to yourself and others.

    Childhood trauma therapy as an adult can provide you with tools you may not have had access to as a child. These tools can help you live a more fulfilling and liberating life.

  • Trauma can take a toll on your nervous system, relationships, and sense of self. You might feel on edge, as though you’re always scanning for danger, even when everything seems fine. You may feel numb and disconnected from your emotions. Experiencing your emotions may feel too overwhelming.

    Some ways that unhealed childhood trauma might show up in adults include, but are not limited to:

    • A persistent feeling of not being good enough, no matter what you achieve.

    • Struggling to set boundaries because you fear rejection or conflict.

    • Using perfectionism as a shield, hoping it will protect you from criticism.

    • People-pleasing to keep others happy, even at the expense of your own needs.

    • Anxiety about being vulnerable or authentic with others.

    These are ways your mind and body have done their best to protect you. These patterns may have helped you survive in the past. Now, they might feel like they’re holding you back from living the life you're wanting.

    You don’t have to keep carrying this weight alone. In therapy, you can explore the ways trauma has shaped your life and begin to heal.

  • The answer to this question depends on your goals, which you will establish with a therapist. Many factors contribute to trauma healing, so it's difficult to provide a timeframe. It is important to note that goals and treatment timeframe vary from person to person.

    Building a relationship with your trauma therapist is the first step. Safety and trust should be built in order for you and your body to be able to safely navigate healing.

  • Start by noticing how you feel with the therapist during a consultation. Trauma healing happens in relationship, so emotional safety, pacing, and trust matter as much as training.

    Here are a few helpful questions to ask:

    • What’s your approach to childhood trauma with adults?

    • How will you keep me emotionally safe as I work through my trauma?

    • What training/experience do you have that’s relevant to my experience?

    And then check in with your body: Do you feel seen, respected, and not rushed? If the vibe feel safe and you feel understood, that’s usually a strong sign you’ve found a good place to start.