Trauma and PTSD therapists in Tualatin, Oregon OR

Trauma and PTSD usually go hand in hand. Negative emotionally charged experiences may be remain unresolved from early childhood or experienced as adults in extreme stress filled experiences such as combat, domestic violence or other traumatic situations. Unresolved trauma gets stored in the body, many times creating somatic, or physical disorders if not treated. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is a world wide treatment modality that searches for the somatic bridges that connect these traumas.  

I follow the work of the leaders in Trauma and PTSD, like Bessel Van der Kolk and Gabor Mate, and feel that this is some of the most important work in my field. I help many clients with their process through and sometimes even out of this type of conflict.  

I specialize in treatment for trauma and PTSD, both current and past. I use EMDR for rapid relief and trauma based Cognitive-Behavioral therapy.  

Do you feel weighed down by traumatic events that have happened in your life? Have you experience both childhood trauma and trauma as an adult? Are you tired of re-living the same experiences, having flashbacks, fighting intrusive thoughts, & never feeling safe? Have you tried therapy before with little to no success? As a Brainspotting Trained Therapist I will support you in attuning to your brains natural ability to heal itself and experience relief in ways that cannot be achieved through traditional talk therapy.  

Healing can look different to different people. Ultimately, powerful healing is rooted in aligning the mind, body, and soul. This is what holistic wellness is all about. With a counseling focus on creating mental, emotional, and physical balance, you can release past trauma and create a beautiful future. We can encourage our own healing by taking up practices that restore balance to our bodies, minds, and souls. Healing is not the same as a cure, although it can be done with or without a cure as a result. It’s also not a one-and-done solution, and the aim is not to “fix” ourselves or someone else.  

PTSD and Trauma are deep seated and color the rest of your emotional life. I use a variety of trauma informed modalities, including CBT and EMDR, to help you get a handle on how trauma has affected you and where you might want to make some changes to YOUR thought processes to move forward!  

Every year, more than 8 million people in the United States struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) along with another 350 million people worldwide. PTSD can occur in people who have experienced or even witnessed a severe trauma, and it affects areas of the brain connected to managing difficult emotions, especially fear and anxiety. PTSD can create intense physical, emotional, and mental distress, and if left untreated, it can lead to long-term psychological and physiological damage. Thankfully, energy psychology – specifically acupoint tapping -- can help! More Potent Than Other Therapies Tapping on acupuncture points while bringing the memory of a traumatic event to mind sends signals to emotional centers of the brain, specifically the amygdala and other areas of the limbic system. This can counter the body's threat response. Acupoint tapping has been shown to reduce: Exaggerated responses to triggers Hyperarousal in the limbic system Insomnia Elevated levels of cortisol and other stress hormones Impaired immune functioning Distortions in learning and memory, and Imbalances between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity The 7 Advantages of Acupoint Tapping in the Treatment of PTSD Advantage #1: Fewer Treatment Sessions Cognitive-behavioral therapies are the treatment of choice in most conventional mental health settings. They average between 12 and 16 sessions for treating PTSD. Nonetheless, up to two-thirds of those completing the treatment still carry the PTSD diagnosis after treatment. Meanwhile, a study of the use of EFT for treating PTSD in a public health facility in Scotland authorized patients to receive up to 8 treatment sessions. Voluntary termination of treatment occurred, however, after an average of 3.8 sessions, with strong positive outcomes on post-treatment measures. A landmark study by Dawson Church and colleagues found that 86% of 49 war veterans no longer scored in the PTSD range after 6 hour-long EFT sessions. The study has been replicated with similar outcomes. Advantage #2: Lasting Results Studies reporting treatment effects for the use of acupoint tapping and energy psychology in PTSD typically show significant overall reductions in symptoms and their impact, and these improvements tended to stand the test of time. Advantage #3: Low Risk of Negative Side-Effects Existing evidence strongly suggests that energy psychology and acupoint tapping can be safely used to treat PTSD. Advantage #4: Minimal Training Needed A seasoned clinician can learn and begin applying a basic tapping protocol very quickly. Even people who don’t have extensive mental health backgrounds can be effective with the method as long as they understand the boundaries of their scope of service. For instance, several studies used life coaches rather than licensed mental health professionals to use tapping sessions in the treatment of PTSD and found they were nearly as effective. Advantage #5: Effective for Groups Unlike many psychotherapy methods that require one-on-one sessions, acupoint tapping can be highly effective when delivered to groups. This makes it suitable for combat battalions returning from deployment, refugees living in camps, caregivers returning from humanitarian missions, and children in classrooms. Advantage #6: Improves Quality of Life and Reduces Medical Costs When PTSD is not successfully treated, it produces adverse changes in the brain, and the impact extends beyond the patient and their family. If symptoms persist, the data shows increased lifetime hospitalization, disease burden, and medical costs. By helping people overcome PTSD, acupoint tapping positively impacts their quality of life and society's medical costs. Advantage #7: In-Person Sessions Not Required A study focused on the effects of EFT delivered by phone versus in-office sessions showed that just 6 phone treatment sessions could effectively alleviate clinical PTSD symptoms in 67% of patients. In another study, 26 women diagnosed with fibromyalgia showed significant improvement in symptoms such as pain, anxiety, depression, vitality, social function, activity level, and performance problems following their participation in an online EFT treatment program. This makes it possible to utilize electronic media to offer acupoint tapping treatments to underserved populations or others who cannot access conventional in-person therapy, such as military personnel in combat zones and those living in rural areas. For millions of people with PTSD, energy psychology -- specifically acupoint tapping -- offers much-needed hope and relief. As discussed in this article, acupoint tapping can help large numbers of people relatively quickly. It is a powerful intervention that is proving to be an effective antidote to living with the pain of PTSD. As a survivor myself, I've spent a lifetime studying the effects of trauma on the body and the brain. I specialize in helping people understand the ways trauma impacts their lives, their relationships and their emotional and behavioral experiences. Trauma takes place as a singular event or many events that overwhelm a person's ability to cope. Unresolved trauma is complicated and it causes many in-the-present life problems. This is confusing because we often have no idea why we are getting upset about something, feel certain ways or have unexplainable anger. Whether it be to heal with the impact of discrete traumatic events or complex interpersonal trauma, I use a combination of techniques from Energy Psychology such as Emotional Freedom Technique (or Tapping, as most people know it), Tapas Acupressure Technique, RIM Hypnotherapy, EMDR, Cognitive-Behavioral techniques, DBT, grounding and centering techniques and Shamanic soul retrieval to help you build safety and seIf worth. I teach emotion regulation skills and we use the therapeutic relationship itself so that you can feel more grounded and secure in connection with yourself and others.  

Working with trauma and PTSD symptoms requires patience, compassion, courage and intention. The results are well-worth the effort, and having the support of a trained professional is imperative to this type of work. You have made it this far and I congratulate you. Please contact me for a free consultation session, to see if we are a good fit to address trauma you have experienced.