Childhood Trauma Therapy
I don’t think anyone calls me about childhood trauma directly. It shows up in an ordinary week as feelings of uneasiness, hypervigilance, or snapping at partners or children when you don’t understand why.
The office is in West Los Angeles, on the border of Santa Monica, near Centinela and Santa Monica Boulevard. I only practice EMDR in my office, and talk sessions also happen by video, anywhere in California.
Through our work, we recognize that all of the little moments when caregivers missed opportunities to care for you created this trauma.
A lot of people are averse to the word trauma, and I get it. But really, what trauma is for me is the guidepost of where we need to look for healing.
The First Session
In the first session, we take a history. We talk a little bit about why you’re in therapy, the goals you’re seeking, and how you will know when the work is done by how you’re feeling. If we have time, we also do a quick EMDR session on something like getting a parking ticket.
How ACR and EMDR Work Together
ACR stands for Adaptive Childhood Reprocessing. During ACR, we uncover how old you feel in the moment. Then we create a dialogue with that inner child, which can help you understand what you need now, based on the wounding from that time.
ACR and EMDR are intricately aligned. I almost always do ACR within the parameters of EMDR, and it is based on what I think is happening in the moment, along with what you tell me is happening.
If You’re Afraid It Will Stir Everything Up
We do EMDR that can help you feel calmer first, instead of going directly at the trauma. This can take days or months, depending on how afraid you are. Ultimately, you’re in charge, and if you don’t want to do EMDR, we don’t have to.
When It Is Not the Right Time
People feel stuck in therapy when it is not the right time. We keep circling the same ideas over and over, and you don’t see much change. When that happens, we start talking about taking a break or finding a different way to look at it.
What I Believe About This Kind of Healing
Speaking personally, I call this kind of healing turning on a light switch. You don’t know anything is happening until the switch goes on, and we don’t ever know how long it will take.
Rates and How to Start
A session is priced by its length, and the rates are on the rates page. I do not take insurance. However, I provide a monthly superbill, which you can submit to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement. Whether your plan pays anything back is up to your plan.
Call or text me, and we will talk for fifteen or twenty minutes before you come in. You can also book straight through the client portal.
This is not emergency care. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911.