Are you looking for a therapist who understands the unique experiences of being trans- someone you won't have to educate about your identity before you can start healing? Are you carrying painful memories related to your gender that still affect you today?

 

I provide EMDR (a type of trauma therapy) to transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse clients who are ready to process trauma and move forward. Whether you're dealing with experiences directly related to your gender or working on something else entirely, I offer a warm, trans-affirming space where you can focus on healing.

 

What brings trans clients to EMDR

Many transgender clients I work with are coping with experiences such as:

• Family rejection or strained relationships related to their gender

• Harassment, bullying, or violence

• Medical trauma, including negative experiences with healthcare providers

• Being outed or the ongoing stress of managing who knows

• Grief about lost time, missed experiences, or the effects of going through the wrong puberty

• Internalized transphobia or deeply held negative beliefs about themselves

• Shame, anxiety, or depression connected to past experiences

These experiences can leave lasting marks. You might notice that certain situations still bring up intense emotions, that old memories intrude when you don't want them to, or that you carry shame-inducing beliefs about yourself, like "I'm broken" or "I don't belong" that feel stuck.

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How EMDR can help

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps your brain process traumatic memories so they no longer carry the same emotional charge. Rather than talking through every detail of what happened, EMDR engages your brain's natural healing process through bilateral stimulation, helping memories move from feeling like they're happening now to feeling like they're in the past.

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For transgender clients, EMDR can help with:

• Reducing trauma responses like panic, flashbacks, or hypervigilance related to minority stressors

• Processing painful memories of rejection, discrimination, or violence

• Loosening the grip of negative beliefs formed through difficult experiences

• Strengthening internal resources to deal with triggers like being misgendered, seeing old photos, or attending medical appointments

• Healing from family rejection or the loss of important relationships

• Addressing internalized transphobia and building self-compassion

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EMDR can't change the past, but it can help reduce the intensity of negative beliefs about yourself, memories of the past, and feelings related to trauma so they don't overwhelm you.

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Working together

I am a queer, PhD-level marriage and family therapist with experience providing gender-affirming care. I am trained in the WPATH standards of care and have worked closely with trans communities in individual, couple, and group therapy settings.

I offer virtual therapy sessions throughout California and Utah, with availability early mornings, evenings, and Saturdays.