Every client I work with is unique; therefore, I cannot predict exactly what you will do in therapy. Together we will develop a specialized treatment plan to meet your specific needs. However, this is a general overview of what you can expect to cover in therapy with me.
1. Exploring the Past to Understand the Present
Many parents come to therapy frustrated that they keep reacting in ways they don’t want to—snapping at their kids, withdrawing from their partner, or feeling paralyzed by guilt.
We don’t just look at those behaviors in isolation. Instead, we trace them back to their origins:
- What messages did you receive as a child about emotions, love, or safety?
- How did your caregivers handle stress, conflict, or mistakes?
- What coping strategies helped you survive back then, but are no longer serving you now?
These early experiences shape the way you parent today, often unconsciously. Therapy helps bring these patterns into awareness so you can start making intentional changes.
2. Processing & Releasing Trauma (Instead of Just Talking About It)
Many clients have spent years thinking about their trauma but haven’t actually processed it in a way that allows them to move forward.
That’s where EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) comes in. EMDR is an evidence-based trauma therapy that helps your brain reprocess distressing experiences, so they no longer trigger the same emotional charge.
During EMDR sessions, we’ll work together to:
- Identify the core experiences that shaped your beliefs about yourself and the world.
- Process these memories in a way that reduces their emotional intensity.
- Replace limiting beliefs (e.g., “I’m not good enough”) with more adaptive, empowering ones (e.g., “I am doing the best”).
This isn’t just about feeling better—it’s about rewiring how your brain responds to stress, relationships, and parenting challenges.
3. Learning to Regulate Your Nervous System
When you’ve experienced trauma—especially in childhood—your nervous system is often stuck in survival mode. This can show up as:
- Anxiety & overthinking (What if I’m messing up my kids?)
- Irritability & outbursts (Why do I keep losing my patience?)
- Shame & self-criticism (Why am I still struggling when I should have this figured out?)
- Exhaustion & burnout (I have nothing left to give.)
Therapy helps you recognize these states in real time and shift out of them, using tools like:
✅ Breathwork & grounding exercises
✅ Parts work (Internal Family Systems) to heal inner conflicts
✅ Self-compassion practices to quiet the inner critic
✅ Body-based techniques to release stored stress
Instead of white-knuckling through parenting, you’ll learn how to soothe your nervous system, so you can respond with more calm and confidence.
4. Strengthening Boundaries & Rewriting Old Patterns
If you grew up in a home where your needs weren’t prioritized, it can feel unnatural (or even selfish) to set boundaries. You might default to:
- Saying yes when you mean no
- Feeling guilty for taking time for yourself
- Avoiding conflict to keep the peace
Therapy helps you unpack these patterns and develop a new, healthier way of relating to others—whether it’s with your kids, partner, parents, or coworkers.
You’ll learn how to:
- Set boundaries without guilt
- Stop people-pleasing and start honoring your own needs
- Communicate with confidence instead of shutting down or over-explaining
- Parent from a place of intention, not obligation