Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
You’ve done the work…or at least it looks that way from the outside.
You’re insightful, self-aware, and can talk through your story with clarity. You understand where your feelings come from. You can name the patterns, connect the dots, even explain why you react the way you do.
And yet, when certain moments hit - when you feel criticized, overwhelmed, unseen, or out of control - it feels as if something in you takes over.
Your reactions feel bigger than the moment. Your thoughts are coming too fast, making them harder to control or stop.
Afterward, you often find yourself wondering, “Why did that bother me so much?” or “Why do I keep doing the same things over and over again?” or “Will I be doing this forever?”
Even though your mind understands, your body is still holding onto something unresolved. Old experiences that were never fully processed are still living beneath the surface, shaping how you currently feel, react, and move through life.
That’s where EMDR (or Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) comes in.
“A memory without the emotional charge is called WISDOM.”
- Joe DispenzaEMDR offers a different kind of healing. One that doesn’t rely on more talking, but on allowing the body to finally process what it didn’t get the chance to before. Through gentle, guided bilateral stimulation (back-and-forth movement), we begin to bridge the gap between what you know and what you feel.
Over time, those triggers soften. Intensity shifts. What once felt overwhelming begins to feel manageable. And instead of reacting from old wounds, you’re able to respond from a more grounded, present place.
It’s not about erasing what happened. It’s about changing how it lives inside of your body, and you move through your life with more ease, clarity, and a deeper sense of trust in yourself.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
We all have multiple “parts” of ourselves in us.
You may even start to notice when you say, “Well, this part of me wants to go to the party, but this part of me doesn’t.” IFS is learning to integrate, appreciate, and accept all the different parts of ourselves so we feel whole, worthy, and loved.
There are so many parts of you that make you special. I’ll teach you how to make them all work together so you are unstoppable.
IFS especially goes well with EMDR, and I tend to use these modalities hand-in-hand
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Ever feel like you are out of control?
Ever feel like you cannot manage your emotions well?
Like your emotions should come with a warning label for your loved ones?
DBT teaches specific skills and techniques to help regulate your emotions in an effective way. The best parts of you should go to those you love most in the world.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Do you feel like you are constantly battling your brain to get through the day?
Our thoughts can influence our feelings and impact our behaviors. No matter what you feel, they are valid; I want you to feel them, not shame them.
What we can change, over time and with reframes, are our thoughts.
Turn your thoughts into behaviors that enhance your life.
If you think about “traditional therapy,” chances are you’re thinking of CBT.
Commonly used to treat:
Anxiety and/or depression (they tend to be friends)
PTSD and acute fears
Sleep disorders
Chronic pain caused by trauma
Substance abuse and recovery
Teens often benefit from CBT used with DBT methods
Mindfulness / Holistic-Based Practices
I truly believe in the mind / body / soul connection when it comes to making lasting changes and growing.
Staying stuck in the past for too long can foster depressive symptoms. But focusing too far into the future can increase anxiety symptoms. I use mindfulness to bring us back to the present so you fully experience your day-to-day thoughts, body sensations, and feelings.
I love integrating Western and Eastern practices into my work, incorporating spirituality (if that’s your vibe), and utilizing all the “finding yourself” tools out there such as:
Myers-Briggs
Enneagrams
Human Design
The more you research and learn your archetypes, the more you understand of yourself and how you move in the world.
Walk & Talk Therapy (Limited to San Diego, CA)
You’ve never felt like in-office therapy is your “thing” because of the constant buzzing in your body. The vibrating that’s only silenced by physical activity.
Let’s get outside!
I want your space to feel connected to yourself and grounded. (Grounded…see what I did there?)
Santee Lakes and Mission Trails are practically in my backyard. Let’s take advantage of the almost-always perfect San Diego weather and get our steps in.