Trauma can arise from a single event or a series of experiences that feel emotionally or physically harmful or life-threatening—and that leave lasting effects on your well-being. Being “trauma-informed” means recognizing the wide array of experiences that can be traumatic and understanding how these events can shift our sense of safety, control, and trust—ultimately affecting our minds, bodies, and spirits.

My approach to trauma therapy is rooted in attachment theory and a deep awareness of relational trauma—the kind that stems from experiences like abuse, neglect, betrayal, abandonment, or chronic misattunement. When harm happens in the context of relationships, it’s often through relationships that repair and healing become possible.

Everyone responds to trauma differently. Often, our minds protect us by disconnecting or avoiding anything that reminds us of the pain. This is a natural survival response—and it makes sense. But over time, this avoidance can keep us stuck, cutting us off from the very experiences that might offer healing. Parts of us may feel frozen in time, still caught in the moment of trauma.

People who’ve lived through trauma often carry burdens that others can’t see—dissociation, deep loneliness even when not alone, a sense of being different or on the outside, and a powerful undercurrent of self-doubt or blame.

Healing begins when we gently turn toward those wounded parts with compassion and care. By creating a safe-enough, supportive space, therapy can help you begin to feel what was once unbearable—and offer new, reparative experiences. With time and trust, trauma therapy can become a path toward reclaiming your sense of wholeness and connection.

From our earliest relationships—and through other moments of profound emotional impact throughout life—we learn certain ways of being. We learn what’s safe to feel, how to act, and which parts of ourselves are welcome or unwelcome. These early lessons shape how we relate to ourselves and others. Often, they’re stored beneath our conscious awareness, becoming “givens” we rarely question—assumptions about who we are and how the world works.

For example:

·       If you learned that your emotions were “too much,” you might believe something is wrong with you when you’re not cheerful—or worry that sharing your feelings will overwhelm others.

·       If you were taught that feelings should be “fixed,” you may default to problem-solving or analyzing when you’re hurting, making it hard to truly open up,connect or receive support.

·       If it wasn’t safe to feel your emotions, you might have become highly self-reliant or learned to disconnect from your feelings altogether. As an adult, being cared for might feel both comforting and threatening.

Over time, these ingrained beliefs and patterns can keep us stuck—pulling us into familiar roles, repeating relationship dynamics, or relying on coping strategies that once protected us but now hold us back.

In our work together, we’ll gently explore these patterns, uncover the roots of internal conflicts and limiting beliefs, and tend to the parts of you that haven’t had the chance to heal. As this process unfolds, you may begin to feel more balanced, more connected to yourself and others, and more free to choose how you want to live—based on your present, not your past.

AEDP is an integrative therapy grounded in attachment and emotion, built on the understanding that we are all innately wired for healing, growth, and connection. Rather than focusing solely on symptom relief, AEDP helps you tap into your resilience, inner strengths, and natural capacity for transformation.

AEDP recognizes that our early relational experiences shape how we connect with others and how we regulate emotions today. In therapy, we create an attuned space to approach emotions in a regulated way—making it possible to process past experiences that may still be influencing your present.

By focusing on our experience moment-by-moment in sessions, we can avoid re-hashing old, unhelpful thought loops that keep you “in your head” and stuck. Instead, we actively explore both your inner world and the dynamic of our relationship.

What sets AEDP apart is its focus on not just working through pain, but also tuning into what feels right, healing, and true—sometimes for the very first time. This positive emotional processing supports lasting change. Research in neuroplasticity shows us that our brains are constantly changing in response to new experiences. So, this attention uses our capacity for neuroplasticity to wire-in change for the better.

 AEDP psychotherapy is an evidence supported practice with empirical support. It has been shown to be effective with a variety of psychological symptoms and issues, including depression, emotion dysregulation, negative thoughts, experiential avoidance and interpersonal problems. AEDP is also shown to be effective in enhancing positive functioning such as self-compassion, well-being and self-esteem.