My approach

Early neglect and abuse live in the body and the nervous system, not only in memory. So we do more than talk about the past. We work with how it shows up in you now.

Most of the people I work with learned early that their needs were too much, or did not matter. That lesson does not stay in childhood. It shapes how you rest, how you love, what you notice in your body, and the voice in your head when something goes wrong.

I do not have one method I apply to everyone. I draw on a few approaches that are especially good with early trauma, and we figure out together what fits you. The relationship comes first. Safety is not a step we rush past. It is the ground everything else grows from.

What our sessions are like

We start with steadiness

Early sessions are about getting to know you, your history, and what helps you feel grounded. Nothing hard gets opened before you have ways to close it again.

You set the pace

You will never be asked to relive anything before you are ready. You can always pause, slow down, or change direction. Saying no is part of the work.

Real change, built over time

Many people notice early shifts. Deeper change builds over months, as old patterns lose their grip and new ones start to feel like yours.

The approaches I draw on

You do not need to know which of these you want. Most people never pick one. I will explain what I am suggesting and why, and you always get a say.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Some memories never get fully processed. They stay stored the way they happened, so a smell, a tone of voice, or a holiday can bring back the feeling as if it were happening now. EMDR is a structured, well-researched trauma therapy that helps your brain finish processing those experiences, so they can become memories instead of present-tense alarms.

What it feels like
We spend time first building calm and resources. When you are ready, you hold a memory in mind while following side-to-side eye movements or taps. You stay awake and in control the whole time, and you do not have to describe every detail out loud.
Who it often helps
People with specific painful memories, strong reactions they cannot explain, flashbacks, or a body that stays on high alert.

IFS

Internal Family Systems

IFS sees the mind as made of parts: the one that keeps you busy, the one that criticizes, the one that still feels small and scared. None of them are bad. Each one took on a job to help you survive. IFS helps you get to know these parts with curiosity instead of shame.

What it feels like
Sessions are gentle and curious. We might notice a part that shows up when you feel rejected and ask what it is afraid would happen if it stopped. Over time, those parts can relax, and you lead your life from a calmer, more settled place.
Who it often helps
People with a harsh inner critic, people who feel pulled in different directions, and anyone who wants to understand themselves rather than fight themselves.

DBT skills

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT offers practical, learnable skills for riding out intense emotions, tolerating distress without making things worse, and staying steady in relationships. It pairs acceptance of where you are with real change.

What it feels like
More hands-on than the others. We practice specific tools you can use between sessions, and adjust them until they actually work in your life.
Who it often helps
People whose emotions feel like too much, too fast, or who want steadier footing while doing deeper trauma work.

Attachment-focused care

Repair through relationship

Early relationships teach us whether needs are allowed and whether closeness is safe. When those lessons were painful, they show up later in how we connect. Attachment-focused work uses the therapy relationship itself as a place to learn something different.

What it feels like
It is woven through everything we do. You can tell me when something I said did not land, and we work it out together. For many people, that is the first time a relationship has been repaired instead of ended.
Who it often helps
People who keep ending up in the same relationship patterns, or who feel alone even when they are not.

Mindfulness

Trauma-informed, never forced

Simple ways to notice what is happening in your body and mind right now, without judging it. For trauma survivors, this is always offered gently and with choice, because turning inward can be hard at first.

What it feels like
Short, practical, and adjusted to you. Eyes open is fine. Stopping is fine.
Who it often helps
People who live mostly in their heads, feel numb or disconnected, or want a way to come back to the present.
Taking the first step

You do not have to know where to start.

Reaching out is often the hardest part. The first step is small: a free conversation to see whether we are a good fit. No pressure and no commitment.

Request a consultation

Prefer to talk first? Call (505) 600-2243.

  1. Request a time

    Pick a time for a free consultation through my secure scheduling page.

  2. We talk it through

    You share as much or as little as you like, and ask me anything. We decide together whether to keep going.

  3. Your first session

    If it feels right, we book a first session, in person or online. Paperwork is handled privately in the client portal.

If you are in crisis, please do not wait for a consultation. Call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) any time, or call 911 in an emergency.