From trimester zero the journey towards parenthood begins. The need for flexibility, letting go of control, facing some changes, unpredictable challenges or even grief. Let me help you navigate all this journey brings from trying to conceive to postpartum and beyond. Wether you just need extra support on this journey or are experiencing symptoms that may feel like depression or anxiety, I can help.

Trauma can be a terrible one time event, a natural disaster OR a bullying experience, adverse childhood experiences, a difficult birthing experience to name a few.

Trauma is any event that gets “stuck” in our nervous system and results in adaptive responses or a specific way of thinking.

For example if an event where we felt worthless got “stuck” we will either pay attention to only times we feel or are “perceived” this way carrying a belief that we are truly are worthless. Alternatively an experience like that can make us engage in “protective” or “adaptive” ways so we never feel “worthless” again.

EMDR can help with any even that may feel “big or small” resulting in getting rid of these thoughts, responses, and bodily sensations in turn living a happier, healthier, fulfilling life.

Most female bodied people struggle with PMS around 7-10 days before their period starts. The difference between PMDD and PMS is, PMDD may at times make a person feel “crazy,” “out of control,” or like there is something seriously wrong while experiencing sudden and big changes in mood.

Some symptoms may include:

• Extreme sadness and hopelessness

• At times experiencing thoughts of suicide

• Feeling heightened anxiety

• Feeling tense on edge

• Mood swings

• Feeling out of control

• Trouble attending to parts of your life that are usually important such as job, hobbies, friends.

The difference between PMDD and anxiety or depression is that these symptoms go away a day or a couple days after you get your period.

It’s an awful rollercoaster as your next one will come in only a few weeks. Thankfully there are techniques, self talk, tracking, and lots of things you can do to make it feel more manageable, predictable and less miserable. Reach out if this sounds like you, and you’d like to receive some support!

Are you noticing holding too much stress or anxiety in your body, or are you trying to ignore it hoping it will go away once “xyz gets resolved”? In reality, the more we ignore it the more often it starts to creep up. It can also turn into feeling more on edge, suddenly blowing up, feeling down, or even getting sick.

This is not your fault. This is your body just responding to threats, constant stress and trying to protect you.

Working together I can help you understand what your body may be responding to and how to get back to feeling safe and calm. I provide practical knowledge, science to get to know our bodies and how they respond, as well as dive deeper into how the system around us, culture, family, workplace etc impact our mood.

Whether you’re single, interested in dating again, getting over a break up, currently partnered, or married, our sessions would benefit you.

(I only meet with individuals and do not provide couples work at this time).

Topics we would explore:

• Identifying early patterns that might have been adaptive or protective but no longer serve us in current relationships.

• Ways in which we reenact certain situations and behaviors to get needs met unconsciously, heal childhood wounds, or early injuries.

• Helping to understand our partners and them to understand us through various skills, reframes and perspective taking.

• Exploring themes of external validation, people pleasing, worthiness.

If we don’t feel good about ourselves we will continue to attract those kinds of relationship and opportunities into our life. The more we explore where our validation and worth comes from the more we can start to grow.

Some topics we would explore:

• Where did I learn about worthiness

• The way I talk to myself? Whose voice is that? Mine or someone else’s? Society? Family member?

• How do I define what it means to be worthy? Where did I learn that?

• Do I need to be in a relationship, maintain this job, status or look to be worthy?

• Can I be worthy just because? As a human?

• At what age did I learn about worthiness, status?

We are not born thinking our bodies are too big, too thin, not good enough. Together we will explore where these ideas originated and work on creating an alternative story.

I have been trained in EMDR with eating disorders and incorporate this therapy when working with body image or eating issues.