Therapeutic Specialties
EMDR
“Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences ….
EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or completing homework between sessions. EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process.”
- EMDR International Association
Somatic Experiencing®
“The Somatic Experiencing® method is a body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders. It is the life’s work of Dr. Peter A. Levine, resulting from his multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics, together with over 45 years of successful clinical application. The SE™ approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma."
- Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute
Symptoms and Types of Trauma for Which EMDR and Somatic Experiencing® Are Helpful
-Neglect and abuse in childhood or adulthood / Relational trauma
-Witness to abuse or other forms of violence and criminal activity
-Grief
-Feelings of stuckness and sustained low energy
-A feeling of numbness or not knowing one's emotions (alexithymia)
-Falls, accidents, and other high-impact events
-Pre-natal or peri-natal trauma
-Victim of a criminal act, natural disaster, or manmade event
-Systemic or system-induced trauma
-Medical trauma
-Fibromyalgia and other forms of chronic pain, including those experienced in auto-immune disorders or are of unknown or uncertain origin
Note: This is not an exhaustive list, and one need not meet the criteria for PTSD to have experienced trauma. EMDR and Somatic Experiencing® are not to be used as a substitution for medical treatment provided by a licensed physician.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
PRT was developed by researchers and practitioners affiliated with the Pain Psychology Center in California, USA. This fairly new, systemic approach is based on the concept that chronic pain develops as a result of faulty psychophysiological processes in the brain. PRT uses evidenced-backed brain retraining (psychological) and somatic techniques to 'rewire' the brain's neural pathways to eliminate the pain.
Please visit the Chronic Pain Recovery Page for information about future groups!
Plea
Emotional Expression and Awareness Therapy (EAET)
The basis of EAET is that the brain and its neural pathways are the mechanism by which chronic pain conditions develop and worsen over time. From the perspective of this model, stressful and/or traumatic events and the resulting coping mechanisms that people use significantly influence the brain's neural pathways. Chronic pain develops largely through the subconscious conflicts that manifest in the brain as a result of stressful events. The EAET approach supports individuals in processing their feelings as related to the initial event(s) and the resulting conflicts, as well as developing healthy communication and interpersonal behaviors.
Please visit the Chronic Pain Recovery Page for information about future groups!