Complex trauma usually builds up over time, especially in relationships that were supposed to feel safe but didn't. It can show up in so many ways—constant self-doubt, feeling emotionally numb or disconnected, struggling to trust people, anxiety, depression, or ending up in the same kinds of difficult relationships over and over.

None of this means you're weak or broken. These responses made sense at some point—they helped you get through something hard. The part of you that learned to doubt yourself, shut down, or keep people at a distance was trying to protect you.

Therapy is a place to understand how and why these patterns developed, and to figure out whether they're still helping you now—or whether they're getting in the way of the life and relationships you actually want.

Complex Trauma and Its Impact

Trauma doesn't always look the way we think it will. It might show up as:

• Ongoing self-doubt or guilt

• Trouble trusting others or letting people help you

• Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected

• Anxiety, depression, or constant internal pressure

• The same relationship patterns playing out again and again

For a lot of people, these responses started as ways to cope and survive. Therapy gives you space to understand how these patterns developed and whether they're still working for you now.

How Trauma Can Show Up

My approach is rooted in psychodynamic and relational therapy with a trauma-informed perspective. We'll explore how your earlier experiences continue to influence how you feel, what you expect, and how you respond today. This includes paying attention to patterns that show up both in your life and in our work together.

Along with insight-oriented work, I bring in practical tools to help you regulate your emotions, become more flexible, and develop greater awareness of what's happening inside you. We move at a pace that feels safe and meaningful for you—this is a collaborative process.

My Approach to Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy with me might be a good fit if you:

• Are an adult looking for individual therapy

• Feel weighed down inside, even though you seem steady on the outside

• Want to understand deep patterns, not just manage symptoms

• Are open to reflective, relational work done online

I don't provide crisis services or trauma processing that needs immediate stabilization. I offer all trauma therapy sessions through secure online telehealth. You'll need to be physically in California during our sessions.

Who This Work Is For