“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” —Robert Louis Stevenson
Treatment Areas of Expertise include:
- Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) – Advanced Certified
- EMDR
- Boxing Somatic Therapy & Coaching
- Christian Counseling
- Adoption & Foster Care Support
- Prepare-Enrich Premartial & Couples Counseling as a trained Facilitator
Other trainings include: Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing course, Seeking Safety – PTSD and Substance Abuse Course – Certification, and Disaster Relief Program.
Learn more about all these below:
ART
What to Expect
ART sessions are typically 60 minutes and follow a step-by-step process guided by a trained clinician. You do not need to describe your trauma in detail to benefit. The therapist will guide you through visualization and gentle eye movements to help your brain reprocess distressing images or sensations safely and effectively.
How ART Helps
Clinical studies have shown ART to be effective for trauma-related symptoms, anxiety, depression, grief, phobias, and more. It may be especially useful for those who have not experienced relief from other therapies, such as Cognitive Processing Therapy or Prolonged Exposure.
Key Benefits
- Brief and focused; many clients experience relief within one session.
- No detailed retelling of trauma is required; making it easier for both therapist and client.
- Clients remain in control throughout the session.
- Can address a wide range of emotional and physical symptoms.
- Evidence-based and trauma-informed.
Learn More
To learn more about ART, visit the official website at www.acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com for educational videos, research summaries, and training information.
EMDR
Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.
EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.
Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
Boxing Somatic Therapy & Coaching
What is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy focuses on connecting the mind and body to heal mental health ailments and increase wellness. Somatic therapy includes interventions such as grounding, boundary development, movement and process, titration, and self-regulation as well as complementary and alternative movement modalities such as tai chi, therapeutic touch, massage, and yoga.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 This body-centered approach trains people to be more in tune with the physical sensations that manifest as a result of mental health struggles.
Somatic therapy combines psychotherapy techniques such as experiential exploration, talk therapy, dream work, interpretation, and reflection, while integrating interoceptive, kinesthetic, and proprioceptive experience as part of the psyche.5,6 Becoming more mindful of physical sensations assists in the healing process by engaging the reticular arousal systems (RAS), the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the limbic system, and the emotional motor system (EMS).6
**This is taken from https://www.choosingtherapy.com/somatic-therapy/ where the corresponding research links are listed.
Benefits of the Boxing Movement
According to the Cleveland Clinic, they report that boxing drills can be a form of moving meditation. “Punching requires intense focus,” Dr. Edwards states, “and the constant movement and HIIT exercises during class leave little time for deep thought.”
Individually, meditation and HIIT offer a range of mental health benefits. Together, they deliver a double punch of rewards. According to a review of 16 studies, the mental health benefits of boxing include:
- A healthy outlet for anger and aggression
- Improved self-esteem and quality of life
- Less stress
- Reduced symptoms of conditions like anxiety and depression
Other research on the benefits of boxing use with counseling
- Benefits of Boxing for Parkinson’s Patients
- Boxing for Anxiety and Depression
- Boxing as an Intervention in Mental Health: A Scoping Review
- The use of boxing during an Addiction Recovery
- Benefits of Bilateral Stimulation
What to expect if you engage with somatic boxing during therapy:
This is a non-contact boxing: using mitts and gloves to engage with the bilateral movements of boxing. The bilateral movement of boxing engages the left-right mind, plus the body’s movement to help engage all parts of self.
This is not an exercise program. You will learn breath work and proper form as you punch the mitts. Once you feel comfortable, we will engage in stress and emotional management with the movements to give you tools to process and move through difficult emotions. The third phase is using the bilateral boxing movement to help process past memories or disconnected parts that are the underlying reason for the present reactions.
This is a good fit for clients who are feeling disconnected from their body, struggling with anger or anxiety, or feel like “talk-therapy” hasn’t been able to get to the root of the issue. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to ask further questions.
Religious Trauma & Christian Counseling
If you desire, I am trained in Christian Counseling including walking with people through religious trauma and ‘church-hurt’. There are, sadly, prolific stories of church or religious leaders leading others astray, abusing, and masking narcissism in the name of religion. I also have experience working with an overseas organization and training in different religions and differentiating between faith, religion, and spirituality. If you have questions about what this could look like for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
