“Thrive, not just survive; Grow beyond coping.”
Childhood Trauma
& c-PTSD
You know just as well as I do how that early stamp of difficulties has affected you.
Hyper-vigilance, self-esteem issues, or difficult relationships with others.
“It’s complicated, my parents did the best they could with what they had. I know from their history that they had it rough growing up. They really weren’t that bad.”
You’re tired of feeling this way… There is another way.
That parent’s never-ending, unnecessary commentary lives on inside you. Even if you don’t talk to them, even if you know it isn’t true, even if they are dead for crying out loud! That’s where that intrusive thought comes from.
That dark feeling inside you that demand you go above and beyond. It’s that nit picking that analyses if you should have said something differently, or just kept your mouth shut.
You’re smart. You’ve even done therapy before. You can reframe until the cows come home. But it’s not gone. It nags at you below the surface. You are hypervigilant with yourself, trying to be positive and ignore that nasty, monster inside you.
You just need to try harder at being positive. . . .
You and I both know that doesn’t work. If it did, you wouldn’t be reading this and it would have worked by now.
I don’t want you to cope with your symptoms. I want you to find full healing. I want you to be able to heal those early wounds that go back to the beginning so that you can heal your inner child and find relief from those symptoms.
Sound Like You?
Do you struggle with a difficult parent and feel guilty about complicated feelings about your family and visiting them. Why is it so hard for you? Can’t you just be a “good” family member? The guilt though…
Perhaps you know that Mom was bipolar or that dad had (or still does have) a serious drinking problem. Maybe it’s that secret about your grandfather that no one talks about, or that the family doesn’t talk about any of it, but you know there’s something there.
Or maybe it’s Mom or Dad knowing what’s best for you and the look, you know, the LOOK. You know the one. Why can’t you get a little comfort and support like other people do from their parents?
Or you’ve always felt like the parent, like an adult. You figured it out. And you did a good damn job too for what you had to work with. But does the stress ever end?
Here’s What We Can Do Together
Therapy can help you process the past, realign with your internal world, and empower your future.
Psychodynamic work starts slow and is intensive. The research doesn’t show immediate relief. But here’s what it does show—it shows long-term effectiveness that is more pervasive and continues to improve even after work with a therapist is over. See some of the facts in this study here.
This won’t work in 6 weeks, or 2 months, but with weekly work over years, you will find your core self changed. The symptoms reduce, the nightmares change and resolve as we work on them. Read more about dreams on my dream page.
This isn’t about tearing open old wounds and rehashing the past. We work with your dreams so that you can gain new insight into how those patterns are still affecting your life now. Then, we’ll work on changing how you respond when you are triggered. You’ll be able to choose different outcomes with similar situations so that you aren’t repeating the past.
You’ll set boundaries, feel empowered,
and best of all,
these changes make your interior world less painful.
Your Soul knows
of a great treasure, protected inside you.
Imagine what life could be like…
Through your art making you start to make peace with your past and create a new you that will be able to build a future that is yours and yours alone. You’ll find resources you never thought you had and even creativity.
I don’t work with insurance. That means that we have time to go at your pace. The pace that feels safe enough to hold the tension and keep at it while at the same time you can cope.
This process is organic. Just like you.
You have survived so much.
Now it’s time to find the gold within, to really thrive.
Click the button below to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I’ve never been to therapy before?
“You talk about depth psychology as the next step after traditional therapy, but what if I’ve never been to therapy before? Is depth work right for me?”
Short answer: yes. While I do talk about depth psychology as the next phase of therapy after doing some foundational work, I can help you with that as well. If you’ve never been in therapy before, I will help you build the skills you need to dive further.
No one plunges into the depths of the ocean without first knowing how to use SCUBA gear. The same is true for depth psychotherapy. We will first work to establish some appropriate ways to help you when/if you feel overwhelmed. This could be through some breathing exercises, meditation, or other grounding techniques. Once you feel confident in your ability to deal with distress, we can begin wading in. This is always at your pace and when you are ready. I am always assessing your comfort. This is one of the beauties of depth psychotherapy. I am not following a strict protocol or worksheet. Life is not a fill-in-the-blank; your psyche isn’t either. I try to attune to your needs and comfort level as you are ready for each step.
Is Depth Psychotherapy really better than CBT?
It’s really not a matter of which one is better or worse than the other as both serve a function. If you are in constant distress or in a crisis, CBT and/or medication may be the first step to helping you find relief the fastest.
If you are ready to dive deeper into your subconscious and develop a greater sense of awareness and fulfillment, depth psychotherapy may be a good fit for you.
How long does depth work take?
The answer, of course, is it varies. True depth work is never-ending and many clients find benefit in either continued work or revisiting it over the course of many years. As much as we know, there is so much that we do not yet understand- the unconscious mind is just one part of that mystery.
Most clients will work with me for a minimum of weekly sessions for 3 to 6 months. After that, they may choose to continue with ongoing work to enhance their lives. I will work with you to determine what fits best for you.
How do I get started with depth therapy in Columbus?
Getting started is easy. The first step is to schedule your free, online initial consultation. During this conversation, we will explore your goals for therapy, give you the opportunity to ask questions about how I work, and determine if we are a great fit for each other. If we feel like we can jam, we will then schedule your intake session ASAP.
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