Holistic Trauma Therapist San Diego:

A Somatic + EMDR Approach to Trauma Recovery in San Diego and online in California

“I keep thinking that I should be over this by now, but it never goes away!”

“I feel like I’m going crazy — and I can’t live like this anymore.”

You are doing everything you thought you were supposed to. You are showing up at work, maybe raising a family, trying to keep it all together. But under the surface, it feels like you’re constantly bracing for impact. Old wounds keep bubbling up — memories you wish would stay buried, criticism you hear in your own voice, and that never-ending pressure to "just get over it."

Sometimes the pain comes from way back — especially if you’ve experienced abuse, neglect, loss, or violence growing up. Then you joined the military and thought that you were getting a fresh start but instead, you felt even more victimized by the rigid structure, the lack of emotional support and the lack of control over your life’s choices. You couldn’t be there when your child was born or your family was in crisis because you were deployed.

Sometimes the initial trauma hit later: a toxic relationship, a war, a devastating loss, or simply a life that hasn’t given you room to breathe. Whatever the source, it’s exhausting. You’re tired of snapping at the people you love, feeling ashamed of how easily you shut down, or second-guessing every decision. You want to be present. You want to feel safe. And you’re not alone.

How holistic trauma-focused therapy can help:

As a trauma therapist in San Diego, I work with people who feel haunted by their past — whether it's developmental trauma, later-in-life trauma, or both. The people I support often feel confused and overwhelmed, physically exhausted, and disconnected from who they truly are.

They’re not broken. And neither are you.

Healing trauma takes more than just talking — it takes reconnecting with your whole self, especially your nervous system. When we’ve lived through painful or overwhelming experiences, our bodies can stay stuck in survival mode, constantly scanning for danger even when we’re safe. I help people recognize that while this may have been an inevitable part of their lives, they have an innate capacity to heal and be transformed by difficult experiences.

With time, support, guidance and a good self-care routine you can heal and live a a life that is satisfying and rewarding. That’s why my approach combines EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic tools and interventions, mindfulness strategies, nervous system regulation practices and practical tools to help you feel more grounded, resilient, and present in your life. to help you regain a sense of agency and calm.

• EMDR Therapy

EMDR helps your brain reprocess overwhelming experiences so they lose their emotional charge. It allows your mind and body to “unstick” from survival mode, make peace with the past, and move toward integration and peace.

• Mindfulness + Somatic Tools

Mindfulness and somatic (body-based) tools and techniques — from contemplation practices to breathwork to gentle movement — help you feel more grounded, notice and interrupt old patterns of behavior, reduce dissociation, and begin feeling safe in your own skin again.

You will develop more self-compassion and loving self-care practices. Mindfulness strategies help people bring your awareness to the present moment with less judgement, allowing you to see situations more objectively, offering you the choice to let go of what no longer serves you and opening up to the opportunities of the present and the possibility of a better future.

• Cognitive Shifts

Together, we’ll explore and reframe the beliefs and thought patterns that may be keeping you stuck. You'll begin to replace inner criticism with compassion and fear with clarity.

You’ll learn to recognize unhelpful thought patterns and create new, empowering beliefs. No more feeling like a failure or a problem to fix — you’ll start seeing yourself with compassion and strength.

• Vagal Toning & Nervous System Regulation

We work directly with your nervous system to build safety from the inside out. Through gentle strategies like breathwork, mantra meditation, humming, self-massage, and movement, we activate the vagus nerve — a key player in calming the body’s stress response. This kind of vagal toning supports your ability to shift out of fight-or-flight and into a state of calm, connection, and healing.

What Healing Can Look Like

Over time you will start to feel grounded, you’ll begin to feel safe in your skin. You will be able to pause instead of panicking when things feel hard. Community and connection will replace hypervigilance and isolation, and you will have a healthier relationship with yourself and others.

You won’t forget what happened, but it won’t define or control you anymore. You will have the tools to deal with challenging life circumstances, and you will be able to make healthier life choices. You will let go of shame and finally feel “enough.”

You Deserve a Trauma Therapist Who Gets It so Let’s Talk — You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

I know that reaching out for support can be hard, especially if your past includes betrayal, neglect, or emotional invalidation.

My job is to create a safe space where your story is honored — without pressure, shame, or judgment.

We’ll go at your pace. We’ll follow your nervous system’s wisdom. And we’ll trust your body’s natural ability to heal — because healing isn’t just possible, it’s what you’re wired for.

If you’re searching for a trauma therapist in San Diego and this page resonates with you, I invite you to reach out.