I cultivate my practice on the latest evidence-based strategies. I work from an eclectic style which is client-led. I am multi-faceted in my clinical approach but generally work from a systemic, trauma-informed, and integrative wellness framework.

These are the treatment modalities I am trained to use among others:

Emotionally Focused Processing

Emotionally focused processing is a science-based humanistic approach for individuals, couples and families. It works by strengthening attachment to self and others through emotional repair and bonding. This emotionally focused work gets underneath the surface of what is driving emotional disconnection by processing emotions, needs and experiences in a new core way.

Focusing on emotions, individuals, families and couples see the “negative pattern” or “cycle” underneath their behaviors so they can separate themselves from their actions in powerful way. Emotional regulation and reframing distress through an attachment lens leads to more understanding, connection, and empathy for self and others.

To learn more about emotionally focused processing, click HERE.

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC)

Led by Dr. Kristin Neff’s research, Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is empirically validated and offers practical tools that help people become a warm supportive friend to themselves when difficult times arise in their lives. Objectives of MSC include: motivating self through encouragement rather than self-criticism, relating to emotions with greater acceptance, practicing self-appreciation and integrating core mindfulness and self-compassion exercises into daily life.

MSC recognizes that individuals can’t berate or shame themselves into optimal health, happy relationships, or career success. MSC teaches that responding kindly to ourselves in the face of struggle, just as we would a dear friend, is much more likely to lead to long-term well-being.

To read more about Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), click HERE.

Trauma-Informed Yoga

Trauma-informed yoga is an approach to creating a safe, supportive space in which individuals can learn emotional regulation skills through connection with the breath and increased body awareness.

Trauma-informed yoga supports healing by:

– Widening the window of tolerance

– Fostering self-compassion

– Strengthens vagal tone

– Honoring choice

– Building safety & reliance

– Rebuilding neuroplasticity

– Strengthening coping skills

– Compliments therapy through body work

Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed, RYT is well-known throughout California and nationally for her work to bring trauma-informed yoga into places of healing. She founded a trauma-informed yoga program at UCLA’s Student Center and her program is now at all University of California locations for students. She offers trauma-informed trainings for healing professionals which I am honored to participate in.

To read more about trauma-informed yoga, click HERE.

Brainspotting (BSP)

Brainspotting is effective for a wide variety of emotional and somatic conditions. Brainspotting is particularly effective with with trauma-based situations, helping to identify and heal underlining trauma that contributes to anxiety, depression and other behavioral conditions. It can also be very effective in performance enhancement to reduce mental and emotional blocks.

Brainspotting gives a therapist access to both brain and body processes. Its goal is to bypass the conscious, neocortical thinking to access the deeper, subcortical emotional and body-based parts of the brain.

BSP was founded by Dr. David LeGrand, PhD in 2003 based of his clinical experience and research of (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) EMDR & trying to find a faster and perhaps more effective model to access the same stored trauma in the brain to develop new neuropathways for healing much in the same way EMDR scientifically does.

To read more about BSP, click HERE.

Inner Child Work

A lot of our emotional struggle as adults is the result of unresolved trauma from childhood. In order to understand our emotions and the ways we cope with them, we may examine the messages, events, and interactions with our family of origin. This is what us therapists call “Inner Child Work.”

Connecting with our inner child helps us understand childhood wounds that may be triggered during present relational interactions. Therapist and client work together to help client cultivate an inner observer and enable healthy mirroring of self, needs, experiences, and coping.

Often when our childhood wounds are triggered, we we act in unconscious ways to get our needs met that may stem from deep-rooted childhood patterns of attachment or survival. A child needs healthy mirroring or validation in order to be seen, heard and loved. Guided visualizations and mindfulness are used to participate in dialogue with your younger self. Somatic awareness is increased.

While we can’t erase the psychological scares, trauma, and pain, we can heal them and change our experience of them by creating a more empowered way or relating to our past and present selves.

To read more about Inner Child Therapy, click HERE.

Somatic Experiencing 

Somatic experiencing is a form of body-centered work that looks at the connection of mind and body and uses both psychoanalytic and physical therapies for holistic healing. In addition to talk processing, somatic practitioners use mind-body exercises and physical techniques to help release the pent-up tension that negatively affects a patient’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

Practitioners of somatic experiencing address what they see as a split between the mind and the body. They believe the mind and the body are intimately connected. Thought, emotion and sensations are all interconnected and influence one another.

In the 1970’s Peter Levine developed somatic experiencing and positioned when humans experience trauma, they become trapped in a fight, flight or freeze response. His idea is that we remain frozen in many parts of life as a reaction to a traumatic experience. These frozen parts of ourselves accumulate energy as they should, but expend it in ways that are counterproductive to a healthy life— such as thought stress, anxiety, overwhelming sadness or a

To read more about somatic work, click Here.