BASED IN NEWPORT BEACH, SERVING ALL OF CALIFORNIA
Online Trauma Resolution
Talk Therapy and EMDR
You don’t have to keep reliving experiences your mind and body never fully had the chance to process.
Therapy can help you understand the patterns trauma created, regulate your nervous system, and move toward greater emotional safety, connection, and peace.
Heal in the comfort of home
Your past doesn't have to control your future.
Our lived experiences determine how we think about things, how we feel about ourselves, and how we respond to the world.
Whether you’ve been through something that you would consider deeply “traumatic” or not, we have all been through painful lived experiences. Our minds and bodies will store this information in an attempt to protect us going forward.
Sometimes this traps us in cycles that sound alarm bells when there is no real threat to our safety. This triggers our fight-flight-freeze-fawn response, which ultimately controls how we react in different situations.
We may need to adjust the sensitivity of our alarms so that we can make logical decisions, and have thoughtful, intentional responses, rather than have reactions rooted in defense.
Trauma is the emotional and nervous system response to a distressing or overwhelming experience.
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"Big T" Trauma
“Big T” trauma typically refers to experiences that feel extraordinarily overwhelming, threatening, or dangerous, leaving a person feeling powerless and unsafe. Examples may include physical abuse, sexual assault, severe accidents, natural disasters, medical trauma, combat, near-death experiences, or witnessing traumatic events happen to others.
These experiences are more commonly recognized as “traumatic” because they often create significant emotional distress and interfere with daily functioning, relationships, emotional regulation, and a person’s overall sense of safety.
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"Little t" trauma
“Little t” trauma refers to experiences that may not be life-threatening, but still leave a lasting emotional impact. In these situations, the threat is often to a person’s sense of self, emotional security, attachment, belonging, or worth rather than their physical safety.
Examples may include emotional abuse, neglect, bullying, abandonment, attachment wounds, chronic criticism, betrayal, infidelity, gaslighting, family conflict, financial or legal stress, medical issues, or major life transitions.
These experiences are often minimized because they may not appear “serious enough” on the surface. However, repeated emotional pain, chronic stress, or relational wounds can deeply affect the nervous system, self-esteem, relationships, emotional regulation, and overall wellbeing over time.
The goal of trauma therapy is not to stay stuck in the past, but to help your mind and body stop reacting as though the past is still happening.
Trauma affects the mind, brain, and body.
Trauma is not only about the event itself, but also the lasting impact it can have on the way we think, feel, respond, connect, and move through the world. Painful or overwhelming experiences can leave deep emotional and nervous system imprints that continue affecting us long after the experience has ended.
Research shows that trauma can affect both the brain and nervous system over time. Experiences like chronic emotional abuse, neglect, criticism, abandonment, or relational instability can be just as impactful as more traditionally recognized forms of trauma because of the way they shape our sense of safety, self-worth, trust, and emotional regulation.
Many people try to minimize painful experiences or push them aside in an effort to move forward. While avoidance can feel protective in the moment, unresolved experiences often continue showing up through anxiety, emotional reactivity, relationship patterns, self-doubt, or feeling stuck in survival mode.
Healing involves helping the mind and body safely process what has been left unresolved so you can begin responding from the present rather than constantly reacting from the past.
The types of events and types of reactions can vary greatly.
Emotional and Cognitive Effects
Trauma can affect the way we think, feel, relate, and respond to the world around us. Emotional and cognitive effects may include:
Intrusive thoughts or distressing memories
Flashbacks or feeling emotionally “pulled back” into past experiences
Anxiety, panic, hypervigilance, or chronic fear
Rumination and overthinking
Mood swings or emotional overwhelm
Shame, self-blame, or guilt
Difficulty trusting yourself or others
Dissociation or emotional numbness
Difficulty concentrating or memory problems
Strained relationships or fear of closeness
Sadness, grief, anger, or loss of self-confidence with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Physical & Nervous System Effects
Trauma also affects the body and nervous system. Long-term physical effects may include:
Racing heart rate or chest tightness
Gastrointestinal issues or nausea
Sleep disturbances or exhaustion
Headaches, muscle tension, or chronic stress symptoms
Shaking, restlessness, or jitteriness
Sensory sensitivity or overstimulation
Hyperventilation or difficulty calming down
Exaggerated startle response or constantly feeling “on edge”
Panic attacks, dizziness, or light-headedness
Long-Term Relational Effects
Trauma often affects our ability to feel emotionally safe, secure, trusting, vulnerable, and fully connected within relationships.
This may show up as:
Intense fear of abandonment or rejection
Overthinking communication or assuming the worst from small interactions
Difficulty trusting yourself, your needs, or other people
People-pleasing, over-accommodating, or fearing conflict
Becoming emotionally overwhelmed during disagreements
Feeling disconnected, guarded, or emotionally isolated in relationships
Repeating painful relational patterns despite wanting something different
Struggling with intimacy, vulnerability, or emotional closeness
Shame, self-blame, or feeling undeserving of healthy love and connection
These protective responses may feel automatic, but they are not permanent.
Trauma-informed therapy can help you:
Feel safer within yourself and less stuck in survival mode
Develop healthier ways of responding to triggers and emotional overwhelm
Better understand the connection between your mind, body, emotions, and nervous system
Reduce distressing physical sensations connected to anxiety and stress
Expand your emotional “window of tolerance” so life feels more manageable
Improve relationships, communication, and emotional regulation
Build greater self-trust, confidence, and emotional security
Feel more connected, empowered, and engaged in your life
Be responsive, not reactive.
What are my options?
Healing is not one-size-fits-all. Together, we’ll decide what approach feels most supportive and effective for your specific needs and goals.
Some clients prefer talk therapy only, while others choose EMDR or a combination of both. We may begin with supportive conversation and later introduce EMDR as deeper patterns emerge, or use EMDR sessions alongside ongoing talk therapy and emotional processing.
My approach is flexible and collaborative, allowing us to adjust the process based on what feels most helpful, safe, and meaningful for you.