If Your Body Could Talk, What Would It Say?
1:1 Trauma Therapy for High-Functioning Survivors Ready to Unlearn Old Survival Strategies
Maybe it was a crash, a code blue, or a phone call that changed everything.
Or it was the kind of hurt that hides: being the kid who kept the peace, reading a parent’s face like a weather report, or learning early that feelings make trouble.
You became the steady one.
Your brain kept you alive.
Your body kept the receipts.
You’re not looking for tips. You want your system to know you’re safe now, so life can move forward.
Your day looks normal, but inside your body keeps bracing.
You scan rooms and smooth moods before anyone asks, because boundaries feel risky and honesty can feel like loss.
You perform to feel safe, caregive on autopilot, and then quietly crash later.
Boundaries feel dangerous. Honesty feels risky.
Your nervous system never truly comes down—it just freezes, flattens, or floods.
Does this sound familiar? You might be stuck in this loop:
When Surviving Becomes Your Default
Maybe you’ve tried…
White-knuckling with more hours, more control
Podcasts and logic-only insights that never touch the body
Perfectionism and rigid routines to stay “ahead” of the anxiety
Numbing through scrolling, substances, or busyness
People-pleasing to keep the peace
Shutdowns or blowups that leave shame, not relief
These were smart survival strategies.
They worked… until they didn’t.
If you're ready to try something that doesn’t just help you cope (but actually helps you heal), you're in the right place.
We start with what’s real in the room.
No performance. No rush. Just space for your system to feel something new: safety.
What we focus on in therapy
Settle the body first
We help you nervous downshift, so the alarms get quieter and you stay present instead of overwhelmed or shut down
Catch the pattern early
We catch the moment it starts: what set you off, how your body signals it, and which survival strategy jumps in
Refile what’s stuck in the past
We gently help your brain store old memories where they belong, so they stop feeling alive.
Let old survival styles rest
We give your inner survivor a new role so you can lead your life, not just survive it
This isn’t about powering through. It’s about rewiring your nervous system to experience life with more capacity, connection, and choice.
how i can help
I help high-functioning survivors whose bodies still act like danger is here.
My work blends evidence-based, trauma-informed modalities to help your system shift from survival to safety:
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Notice cues: map triggers and early body signals (jaw, chest, gut, breath).
Down-shift tools: grounding, orienting, breath/micro-movement, co-regulation.
Build steadiness: widen your window of tolerance so you don’t flood or go numb.
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Meet protector parts: the Pleaser, Perfectionist, Controller without shame.
Explore Self-leadership: help you (clear, adult Self) lead instead of old reflexes.
Boundaries & repair: practice clear-and-kind limits (even with emotionally immature parents).
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Use imagery, storytelling, and safe dialogues to reprocess trauma
Help your system learn: It’s over. You’re safe now.
Let go of old rules like “perform = safe” or “needs = danger”
We go at your pace. You won’t be pushed; you’ll be invited to listen, notice, and choose when you’re ready. This isn’t a quick fix. It’s the slow unlearning of “I have to earn belonging” and the discovery that your body can feel safer, your boundaries can hold, and you already have what you need to begin healing.
You Deserve Relief…Not Just Insight
This isn’t a quick fix.
It’s the slow unlearning of “I have to earn belonging” and the discovery that:
Your body can feel safe
Your boundaries can hold
You already have what you need to begin healing
Let’s begin.
faqs
Common questions about therapy for trauma
Have other questions? Check out my full FAQ section here!
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No! We go at your pace. We can do meaningful trauma work without graphic detail. We start with safety in your body, then add gentle story work only when you’re ready. We might revisit some parts of the story but don’t need to revisit all parts.
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Totally common with trauma. We can still treat the effects (body alarms, shutdowns, people-pleasing, perfectionism) by working with present-day cues and patterns.
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There is always a possibility you may feel “worse” before feeling “better.” My approach is “safety first.” We stabilize before touching hot material and stay within your window of tolerance. If something spikes, we pause, resource, and return only when you’re ready.
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We’ll slow down, anchor in the present, and use micro-breaks and co-regulation. The goal is to help your nervous system learn “safe enough,” not to push through distress..
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It varies. Many clients feel steadier within a few sessions (better sleep, fewer spirals), with deeper shifts over weeks to months. We’ll set goals, revisit them, and go at a pace that sticks.
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Sessions are $140 (50 minutes), virtual for Oregon residents. I keep a few Open Path sliding-scale spots when available. If you’d like to talk options, bring it to the consult and we’ll see what’s possible!
Let’s make therapy simple.
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Reach out
Schedule your free, super-casual 20-minute consult. Pick a time that works for you, tell me in a few sentences what’s been hardest, and we’ll see if we are a good fit.
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Get to work
Begin sessions that honor your pace and privacy. We’ll dive into the parts of you that feel the heaviest, without shame, and experiment with new ways to show up.
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See change
I don’t promise to fix, but I do promise to walk with you towards growth. You may notice things start slowly. Small changes grow into larger shifts that feel more authentic to you.
I want you to know:
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
You’ve done the hard work of surviving. Now let’s help your body and life feel free.