I work with you to reduce distressing mental, emotional, physical and trauma symptoms to help you reach a new path towards wellness and post-traumatic growth. I use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) which is internationally recognised as the gold standard for PTSD treatment. 

I've also recently completed a 3 year training program in Somatic Experiencing® which was developed by Dr Peter Levine. This knowledge brings the body into trauma therapy and, as such, works from a 'bottom-up' approach. I also include traditional talk therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which is often viewed as  a 'top-down' approach.

I help you understand what your current symptoms are related to, and how to process them in a way that is slow, gentle and supportive,  It includes both your mind and body on a journey toward symptom reduction, recovery and wellness.

Additionally, I am a Level 1 trained Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist. IFS is a powerfully transformative evidence-based model of psychotherapy. IFS believes in multiplicity of mind, ie we all have inner parts, that contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal. This allows us to become integrated and whole. In therapy I help you gently, and slowly, befriend the parts of you (often when you were a child), that were overwhelmed at the time with trauma, abuse, and/or neglect. 

I  began training with Dr Aline LaPierre's model  of NeuroAffective Touch which  introduces clinician's to the vital bridge of body-mind integration. By highlighting the primary role of the body, and emphasising its equal importance, to the mind, NA Touch, addresses the emotional, relational, and developmental deficits that cannot be reached by verbal means alone. This  is a polyvagal-informed model that uses mindful intentional touch to bring the unconscious held in the body into conscious awareness. Working with the polyvagal nervous system, NA Touch helps establish a new somatic foundation from which to re-work trauma-based unconscious behavioural responses and rebuilds self-awareness and identity. 

In addition, I am undertaking further studies in the Somatics of Emotions with Kathy L. Kain (PhD) and Australian psychiatrist Associate Professor Tony Richardson. In essence, we explore the inter-relationship of body and feelings before trauma occurs and we examine the somatic and behavioural components of simple affects (eg fear, anger, sadness, excitement, gratitude and joy), and develop an understanding of the way in which the body gives access to these emotions.  

Complimenting and extending that knowledge with Somatic Resilience and Regulation training which is with also with Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell.  This approach focuses on understanding the effects of Developmental Trauma on the child, and we as the adult and in fact, opens a gateway to working with preverbal trauma.  By understanding the neurochemistry of early trauma, and rebuilding developmental platforms through regulation, clients begin to move from a highly stressed, hyper vigilant system to a smother, and less stress-oriented system. 

On a personal level,  I bring nearly 30 years worth of lived experience as an emergency first responder to my professional life as a psychologist.  I have experienced the bonds and camaraderie in my first responder family as we've responded to emergency situations that have ranged from lives being saved to lives being lost.

During this time I've experienced the range of emotions from fear, helplessness and shame through to pride in response to things I've experienced professionally as a first responder.  I've witnessed my colleagues, and experienced first hand, the sense of isolation at times of not being able to talk to family and friends about what I had seen/heard/felt on the job because I felt that unless you've lived it, you just don't understand. I know that feeling which I why I'm here to say, you, are not alone. 

Additionally, I am the partner of a first responder (retired after 40 years service) and the parent of a first responder in training. As such, I am all too aware of the  stressors experienced by the spouses and families of first responders.