About Lighthouse Trauma Therapy

As a trauma specialist, I create an open environment for my clients to express and explore their pain, which I believe is crucial to achieving healthy change. Through EMDR, IFS, Polyvagal theory, mindfulness, and other evidence-based methods, I help clients through this process to understand and reconnect with themselves. I have experience working with a wide range of trauma, including combat and military trauma, moral injuries, childhood trauma, and sexual trauma. I’m especially passionate about helping couples navigate through trauma together, whether that means a partner has experienced trauma or they both experienced a mutual traumatic event. Ultimately, my goal is to help my clients discover their own way to freedom from emotional pain.

I’m an honest, empathetic, and direct therapist. And I’m dedicated to continuously improving my skills through training and study, so that I can more effectively support my clients. I invite and encourage my clients to be authentic, and I’m ready to assist them in becoming more so.

I specialize in working with betrayal trauma, sexual trauma, and childhood trauma (including abuse and neglect), particularly within the context of couples and families. Using therapeutic models such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Gottman Method, and Somatic Therapy, I help clients cultivate emotional safety. My goal is to support them in building empowering and nurturing relationships that foster growth, resilience, and strength. I am deeply aware of how trauma impacts mental health and relationships, and I am committed to guiding my clients toward healing and personal growth.

I believe that continuous healing is achievable through both in-session work and the application of skills in daily life. I encourage clients to integrate techniques like mindfulness and breathing exercises into their routines to promote lasting change. By employing evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches, I assist clients in navigating the pain and lasting effects of trauma with compassion and expertise.

As a present, emotionally attuned, and strength-focused therapist, I strive to understand what works best for each individual or family. I communicate the rationale behind my interventions and advocate for the relationship as a whole, rather than siding with any particular member of a couple or family. My approach focuses on uncovering strengths, addressing harmful patterns, and fostering reconciliation and healing from past pain. I firmly believe that it is possible to move beyond hurt and am dedicated to helping clients access their resilience and innate capacity for healing both themselves and their relationships.

I specialize in working with couples and individuals who are struggling to navigate the effects of betrayal trauma, sexual trauma, anxiety, and communication issues. I'm especially passionate about helping couples heal from the shame and unrealistic expectations that can result from religious or cultural messages about sex and intimacy.

I believe that change happens when we feel safe, seen, and motivated to try new things. I am dedicated to helping clients through this process of change and I would love to help you make the changes you want in your life.

As an integrative systemic therapist, I tailor the treatment of each client to their individual and relationship needs. I most often utilize Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) techniques and strategies to shape my practice.

In therapy sessions, I offer compassion and validation while also providing direct and honest feedback. I will help you to feel safe and heard, while challenging you to move past your comfort zone. I believe that everyone has the power to live the life they want to live, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to get there.

I have extensive experience working with women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse. From this experience, I know the importance of being able to tell your own story, rather than being told how to feel or think. This is why I focus on creating a space for my clients to be able to explore their stories, and discover their strengths.

I use EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as my main methods. These methods enable me to honor my clients’ experiences while being able to guide them out of the unhelpful or unwanted ways they view themselves and life.

Therapy is not just a place to vent. By giving my clients tools and skills, I empower my clients to work step by step on the issues that they are facing. I take the role of a guide, but it’s important to me that you get to dictate what you’d like to achieve. I’m here to help you find your best self and get to it with you.