Trauma Therapy

Experiential, earth based Trauma Therapy

I specialize in experiential, “bottom-up” trauma therapyrooted in earth-based practices.

I am a trauma and attachment-focused therapist trained in evidence-based modalities, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and DBR (Deep Brain Reorienting).

My work integrates these therapies with nature-based and animal-assisted approaches, offering an alternative to traditional office-based treatment.

Rather than working only through insight and analysis, we work directly with the nervous system — where trauma is stored and where healing begins.

DBR (Deep Brain Reorienting)

Deep Brain Reorienting is a trauma-focused therapy designed to gently access and process the earliest layers of shock and attachment injury held in the nervous system.

DBR works with the body’s original orienting response — the reflexive brainstem shift that happens at the moment something overwhelming occurs. This is often where trauma first imprints.

By slowing down and tracking subtle physiological cues, we allow the nervous system to complete responses that were interrupted at the time of trauma. The goal is not reliving or catharsis, but resolution.

Clients often report:

• A deep sense of settling

• Increased emotional capacity

• Reduced reactivity

• A feeling that something foundational has shifted

DBR may support:

• Shock trauma (medical trauma, accidents, sudden loss)

• Attachment wounds and relational trauma

• Early developmental injury

• Persistent PTSD symptoms

• Anxiety that feels “pre-verbal” or difficult to explain

• Trauma that remains despite prior therapy or insight

Because DBR works at a foundational level of the nervous system, it can be effective even when other therapies have provided only partial relief.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR is a well-researched and widely used treatment for trauma and distressing life events. It helps the brain process and integrate overwhelming experiences so they no longer feel intrusive or disruptive in the present.

In my practice, EMDR may be offered in traditional sessions or in experiential formats that incorporate nature, movement, or animal-assisted work. This supports the nervous system through real-time sensory input rather than relying solely on visualization.

EMDR integrates bilateral stimulation, mindfulness, and somatic awareness to help the brain resolve trauma from the “bottom up.” Many people find this approach more effective than traditional talk therapy because it works directly with the body and nervous system.

Clients who did not resonate with in-office EMDR sometimes find experiential or nature-based EMDR easier to tolerate and more engaging, as healing occurs through lived experience rather than imagination alone.

EquiLateral™: The Equine-Assisted EMDR Protocol

I am trained in EquiLateral™, an equine-assisted EMDR protocol developed by Sarah Jenkins.

This approach combines EMDR principles with equine-assisted therapy, supporting trauma processing through embodied, relational experiences with horses. The presence of the horse provides immediate nervous system feedback and co-regulation, often deepening the work.

EquiLateral™ sessions are offered in collaboration with a professional team at:

• Morrison Ranch

• Happy Dog Ranch

More information about EquiLateral™ can be found at EquiLateral™.