Inner Clarity Therapy
(503) 549-1237
info@innerclaritytherapyllc.com
(503) 549-1237
info@innerclaritytherapyllc.com
Specialized approaches to support your healing journey
My therapy services focus on somatic or body-related approaches combined with deep meditative practices and talk therapy. I offer a safe and supportive environment for clients who are ready to heal and work through deep emotions.
The treatment modalities I use are evidence-based and trauma-informed, designed to help you process difficult experiences and develop new tools for growth and healing.
All sessions are conducted virtually via secure video conferencing, allowing you to engage in therapy from the comfort and privacy of your own space. Virtual therapy offers flexibility, convenience, and the same quality of care as in-person sessions.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for trauma and PTSD. EMDR helps people heal from symptoms and emotional distress resulting from disturbing life experiences.
EMDR therapy shows that the mind can 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.
During EMDR sessions, you'll focus on specific traumatic memories while experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements, but can also include taps or tones). This process helps your brain reprocess the traumatic memory so it becomes less emotionally charged and is stored more adaptively.
Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing, and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation, and a variety of challenging symptoms. It's a brain-body based relational therapy.
Brainspotting is based on the understanding that where you look affects how you feel. It uses the visual field to find where trauma is held in the brain and then processes it from there. The brain scan studies show that Brainspotting activates the deep subcortical brain, which is the area that holds trauma.
During a Brainspotting session, we'll find specific eye positions (called "Brainspots") that connect to areas of emotional activation in your brain. By maintaining focus on these spots while processing traumatic material, deep healing can occur. The process is both gentle and powerful, allowing your brain's natural healing capacity to engage.
While both are brain-body therapies for trauma, Brainspotting tends to be more flexible and client-led with fewer structured protocols. Some clients find Brainspotting to be more intuitive and organic in its approach to healing.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an approach that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or "parts" within each person's mental system. These parts include wounded parts carrying painful emotions like anger and shame, and protective parts that try to control and protect us from pain.
IFS views each person as having a core Self that is naturally equipped with qualities like compassion, curiosity, courage, and connectedness. When we're able to access our Self, we can provide healing and leadership to our internal parts that may be stuck in old patterns or trauma responses.
Exiles: These parts carry our pain, trauma, and unmet needs from the past. They often hold emotions like sadness, fear, anger, or shame.
Managers: These parts work hard to keep us safe and prevent vulnerable exile parts from being hurt again. They might be perfectionist, controlling, or people-pleasing parts.
Firefighters: These parts emerge when exile parts get triggered, attempting to distract or soothe the pain through potentially harmful behaviors like substance use, overeating, or impulsive actions.
In IFS therapy, we work to develop a trusting relationship with your parts, understand their roles and concerns, and help them update their jobs when needed. The goal is to have your Self in leadership, with all parts working together harmoniously.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, person-centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change. It's particularly effective for helping people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior.
MI recognizes that you are the expert on your own life and that sustainable change comes from within. Rather than confronting or persuading, MI works by exploring your own motivations, values, and goals to help you find your own reasons for making positive changes.
Express Empathy: Understanding your perspective without judgment
Develop Discrepancy: Exploring the gap between current behavior and personal values or goals
Roll with Resistance: Avoiding arguments and power struggles, instead exploring ambivalence
Support Self-Efficacy: Believing in your ability to change and helping you believe in yourself
MI is particularly effective when you're feeling stuck or ambivalent about making changes in your life. It's useful when part of you wants to change while another part is hesitant or resistant. This approach helps you explore both sides of your ambivalence and find your own path forward.
Grief is a natural and necessary response to loss. It's not something to "get over" but rather something to move through. Each person's grief journey is unique, and there's no right or wrong way to grieve. My approach to grief counseling honors your individual process while providing support and guidance.
Death of a loved one: Whether sudden or expected, the death of someone important to us creates a profound impact that requires time and support to process.
Pregnancy and infant loss: Miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death create unique grief experiences that often lack social support and understanding.
Pet loss: The death of a beloved pet can be deeply traumatic and is often minimized by others who don't understand the bond.
Relationship endings: Divorce, breakups, and estrangement from family members involve grieving the loss of the relationship and future dreams.
Life transitions: Job loss, retirement, children leaving home, or health changes all involve grieving what was and adjusting to what is.
Sometimes grief becomes "stuck" or complicated by factors such as sudden or traumatic death, ambivalent relationships, lack of support, or multiple losses. I provide specialized support for complicated grief that may require additional therapeutic intervention.
I create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can express all aspects of your grief - anger, sadness, guilt, relief, or numbness. We'll work at your pace to process your loss, honor your loved one's memory, and find ways to carry your love forward while rebuilding your life.
First responders - including police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, healthcare workers, and other emergency personnel - face unique stressors and trauma exposure in their work. The cumulative effect of witnessing human suffering, making life-or-death decisions, and working in high-stress environments can take a significant toll on mental health and relationships.
Repeated trauma exposure: Unlike single-incident trauma, first responders experience cumulative exposure to traumatic events, which can lead to complex trauma responses.
Hypervigilance and stress: The constant need to be alert and ready for danger can make it difficult to relax and feel safe, even when off duty.
Cultural barriers: Many first responder cultures discourage seeking help, viewing it as weakness or failure, which can prevent people from getting needed support.
Moral injury: Situations where you're unable to act according to your values or witness preventable suffering can create deep moral and spiritual wounds.
Compassion fatigue occurs when the emotional demands of caring for others in distress depletes your ability to feel empathy and care. This is different from general job burnout and requires specialized understanding and treatment approaches.
I understand the unique culture, stressors, and challenges that first responders face. I provide a safe, confidential space where you can process your experiences without judgment and without having to explain the realities of your work to someone who doesn't understand.
I use trauma-informed approaches specifically adapted for first responders, including EMDR, Brainspotting, and specialized protocols for repeated trauma exposure. We'll work on building resilience, processing traumatic incidents, and developing healthy coping strategies that work within the demands of your profession.
If you're interested in any of these services or have questions about how I can support you, I invite you to reach out for a consultation. Together, we can discuss your needs and determine the best approach for your unique situation.
Contact Me