FAQs

I do integrative therapy, which means I combine traditional talk therapy with holistic health modalities. For talk therapy, I utilize narrative therapy, acceptance & commitment therapy, dream-work, and parts work.
- In narrative, you tell your story in order to process the trauma and extract meaning and new perspectives from your story. The narrative process helps release you from the effects of trauma by allowing you to take control back over your story and close the chapter on trauma, leaving it and it's associated triggers and feelings as experiences from the past, rather than being stuck in trauma reactions & survival mode in the present.
- Acceptance & commitment therapy is based on Zen Buddhism. It's key components are: accepting your thoughts, physical feelings, and emotions without judgment; and aligning your life to values chosen by you. 
- In dream-work, you will discover how to interpret and find meaning in your own dreams. I will not interpret them for you, but will guide you through the process. 
- Parts work helps you reconcile conflicting inner parts of yourself. Sometimes people find that they need to embrace a "part" and integrate it into the whole. Other times, people find that there are "parts" that need to be released because they are no longer serving their core self. These parts typically develop as a way to survive a trauma. Once the threat of the trauma is gone, a part may not be of use anymore, and can actually do harm to the core self. It is possible for parts to heal and integrate or to be released. Reiki has been very useful in helping my clients heal or release these parts. 
- By combining talk therapy with reiki healing, clients can verbally process, identify emotions related to stressful events or traumas, then consciously release those heavy emotions and the corresponding stuck energy during reiki. This integrative combination allows clients to heal on multiple levels: emotional, mental, and energetic/spiritual. 
Here are a few resources to learn more about integrative trauma therapy modalities and their effectiveness:

https://www.traumasensitiveyoga.com/resources/research

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540261.2020.1814703?scroll=top&needAccess=true

https://pacja.org.au/2015/07/the-effectiveness-of-body-oriented-psychotherapy-a-review-of-the-literature/

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5eec18a5184f8817c651dba4/t/5f10da1dcfe7247e59d3e02b/1594939937304/mindfulness_and_yoga_for_psychological_trauma_systematic_review_and_meta_analysis.pdf

What is Trauma-Sensitive Yoga?
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga is gentle and empowering. It creates a safe and comfortable space within which to practice yoga. I teach classical Hatha style yoga. My lineage, Shambhava Yoga, views yoga as a spiritual practice. I became certified in Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in addition to Shambhava Yoga to ensure I could cultivate a safe space for trauma survivors wanting to try yoga as a healing modality. "Trauma-sensitive" or "trauma-informed" are used interchangeably, however these terms have a different meaning than "trauma-focused." Trauma-focused means that verbal processing of trauma (ie. sharing trauma stories and how it impacted you) will be occurring in a group using that title. Trauma-focused groups can be triggering for some people. Trauma-sensitive or trauma-informed yoga does NOT include group trauma processing. Rather, it makes accommodations to ensure autonomy and safety while giving you time for introspection and embodiment. Trauma-Sensitive Yoga does this by intentional use of language, avoidance of triggering yoga postures, giving you choices, and creating a sense of unity among the group. 
Here is research from the Trauma Center and Dr. Van der Kolk for more info on Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TSY) & its effectiveness for reducing PTSD symptoms:

https://www.traumasensitiveyoga.com/resources/research

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2015.0266