emdr and ifs Counseling

If you've decided you want change and are not sure how to get there, I'd love to work with you to achieve those goals. 

No matter what issues are bringing you to therapy, together we can find the path forward. Even the day to day in our lives can be incredibly difficult. Overwhelm can come from so many places along with depression, anxiety, loss and the events in our communities.  Often times we are also struggling with past trauma or patterns we've noticed in our lives and it feels as if we are barely getting through the day. We may spend a lot of time trying to avoid uncomfortable feelings or thoughts in an attempt to feel better, but despite the effort, it’s not working the way we want.

Therapy provides a safe, accepting, non-judgmental place to explore these issues and make desired changes. 

Together we can find that balance, reduce stress, feel empowered, process past trauma and find more joy. I use a variety of different techniques that may be different from other therapy you've had in the past that clients have described as healing and transformative. Explore some of those techniques here and on the following pages.

I provide virtual therapy for trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions and other issues for people in Colorado.

What is parts work and Internal Family Systems?

We all have different parts of ourselves even if we haven't thought of ourselves this way. If you've ever wanted to relax on the couch and watch a show but also another part of you chimes in that you have other things you should or could be doing, you have discovered two parts of yourself just in that one scenario. 

A metaphor I like to use is to imagine that you are on a boat with a team of people. Everyone wants to get to shore but everyone has different ideas of how to get there so everyone is frantically paddling in different directions and calling out what they think the boat should be doing. This is what our brain can feel like when there are parts commenting on what we should be doing. Through therapy, we can establish you as the captain of the boat and find ways to listen to all of the different crew members without one of them taking over and trying to captain the boat by themselves. 

Many people come to therapy with specific symptoms or patterns they want to change, such as anxiety. Traditional approaches might involve trying to suppress or challenge anxious thoughts or distract from them, but IFS therapy takes a deeper and more compassionate approach. Instead of trying to eliminate or control these parts, it seeks to understand their origins and the roles they play in our lives. By doing so, individuals can heal and transform these inner dynamics, leading to lasting change and a greater sense of self-acceptance.

Listening to, accepting, and working together with all parts of yourself in IFS therapy can lead to a more integrated and balanced inner experience, ultimately fostering personal growth, healing, and a greater sense of well-being. It's a therapeutic approach that aims to bring greater harmony and understanding to the complex landscape of our inner world. 

What would it be like to listen, accept and work together with all parts of yourself?

Learn more with these experts:

A great book by R Schwartz: https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9781683646686

Another great book to explore parts work by yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Therapy-Step-Step-Cutting-Edge-Psychotherapy/dp/0984392777/ref=asc_df_0984392777/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312039018893&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8383822086859642995&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028772&hvtargid=pla-434113729391&psc=1 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective therapy method that helps people heal from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. 

EMDR is different from many other therapies because it does not involve extensively talking about past traumas in detail. 

EMDR offers relief from both the memories of trauma but also from the symptoms that manifest in daily life such as irritability, anxiety, withdrawing from others, anxiety in public spaces, nightmares and more.  

I am a certified EMDR provider. 

Here is a link to a brochure about EMDR: https://www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/EMDRIA-Brochure-Adult-English-Female-Cover.pdf