Who Are My Clients?
I help clients who have experienced difficulties within their relationships find connection again. We are made to be in relationship with others and I believe the desire to belong is in the heart of every human. We need connection with others, but sometimes painful experiences shut us down and close us off. You don’t have to continue feeling this way, and you don’t have to do it alone; I can help.
Do you –
● Have past traumas
● Expect perfection in everything you do
● Have issues with being authentic in certain environments
● Have a history of losses and disappointments
● Need to break free from unhelpful patterns within your family of origin
● Deal with bullies of family members who don’t understand your experience
● Need help with self-discovery and identity
● Allow past experiences to influence your current responses
● Put a lot of pressure on yourself
My Approach
I have an extensive background in connecting with people through relationships built on trust, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. The great Carl Rogers says that in doing this, you allow yourself to truly know someone and in return, you may even be changed by them.
I believe the most essential part of the therapeutic experience is providing a safe space where clients are free to show up as their true selves. The therapy space is where you are free to be whoever you want to be, and if you aren’t sure who that is, we can figure it out together. My clients often present with concerns about being triggered by everyday experiences, complicated relationships, self-doubt, anxiety, and heightened emotions.
I offer Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help clients recover from past trauma and other difficult experiences they feel unable to move past.
EMDR
Erin offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to her clients to help them recover from past trauma and other difficult experiences.
● What Is EMDR?
EMDR is a psychotherapy method that’s been extensively researched and found to be very effective. In the late ‘80s, Dr. Francine Shapiro discovered a connection between eye movement and persistent, troubling memories. She laid out the hypothesis for what would become EMDR therapy. Since then, EMDR has been developed, studied, and formalized as a therapeutic practice.
How Does It Work?
In the simplest terms, EMDR helps you resolve unprocessed traumatic events from your past. Our brains store memories both explicitly and implicitly. Explicitly means that our memories are coded into our brains, and we can recall them. These are non-traumatic memories that we form all the time – meeting with a friend, enjoying a good meal, walking in a beautiful place.
However, when we experience a traumatic event, stress hormones prevent our brain from coding the memories explicitly. They’re stored implicitly, meaning that we can’t verbally communicate about them. Instead, our bodies remember them (even if we don’t remember them!) and when presented with similar situations, we can be triggered into recalling this information, leading us to a trauma response such as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. Our brains need help moving these implicit memories to the proper place. EMDR therapy helps process these stored memories and move them to the explicit area of the brain, allowing us to heal and recall them in ways that aren’t triggering. EMDR tends to help people process their traumas more quickly than traditional talk therapy and can be used in conjunction with it. The benefits of EMDR last long after treatments are finished.
What Does The Process Involve?
There are eight phases of EMDR therapy focusing on the past, present, and future. An average session lasts 60 minutes, with extended sessions available upon request. Every person is different and we’ll craft the sessions to fit your specific needs. Establishing trust between us is a large component of EMDR, and you’re in control of your sessions.
You won’t have to share all the details of your trauma, and you won’t have homework to complete between sessions. My goal is to leave you with the emotions, perspective, and understanding you need to live a healthy life.
● Who Benefits From EMDR?
EMDR can help children, teens, and adults of all ages who are experiencing various mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, grief, disordered eating, sleep disturbance, sexual performance issues, academic pressures, body dysmorphic disorder, and sexual, physical, or psychological abuse.
Why I Love This Field?
I enjoy watching clients discover who they are and develop the courage to be themselves. There is beauty in witnessing someone overcome challenges within non-affirming environments. Life, and the people in it, often tell us that we are too much or not enough. I don’t believe that. I believe we are all exactly who we are supposed to be; we just might need some help discovering that. Connection and belonging are at the heart of being human; let me help you live free in the joy of discovering who you are and how to live authentically.
True belonging doesn’t require that we change who we are; it requires that we be who we are.
– Brené Brown
My Background
I am a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC). I graduated with a Masters in Clinical Mental Health from Capella University. I enjoy a good book, binge watching Netflix, and being barefoot outside. I started my educational journey many years ago but was sidetracked by life. I became a mom and then a caretaker for my late mom. I reconnected to my desire to be a therapist when I was subbing one day at a local high school, and a student shared something personal with me. It stuck with me and reminded me what an honor it is to witness someone’s story. That experience led me back to grad school and now here. I am honored to show up for you and to be a witness to your story.