Complex Trauma & Dissociation Therapy in Tucson
Depth-oriented trauma therapy for adults experiencing dissociation, shutdown, internal conflict, or long-standing trauma patterns.
Complex trauma often doesn’t feel like a single event. It shows up as a way of being in the world—how your body reacts, how your emotions organize, and how different parts of you respond under stress.
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If you feel fragmented, disconnected, chronically overwhelmed, or as though different parts of you take over at different times, therapy needs to move carefully and respectfully. This page describes how I work with complex trauma and dissociation in a way that prioritizes safety, pacing, and nervous system stability.
What Is Complex Trauma?
Complex trauma typically develops through repeated, relational, or early experiences where safety, protection, or attunement were inconsistent or absent.
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This may include:
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Childhood emotional neglect or inconsistency
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Developmental or attachment trauma
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Long-term relational trauma
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Chronic stress, threat, or instability
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Trauma that occurred without the ability to escape or process it at the time
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Rather than producing a single traumatic memory, complex trauma shapes how the nervous system learns to survive.
Understanding Dissociation
Dissociation is not a disorder or a failure of coping. It is a protective nervous system response that allows functioning when something feels overwhelming, unsafe, or impossible to process directly.
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Dissociation can look like:
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Feeling numb, foggy, unreal, or disconnected
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“Zoning out” or losing time
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Going blank under stress
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Feeling as if different parts of you hold different emotions, roles, or reactions
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Functioning well externally while feeling fragmented internally
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These responses are adaptive. Therapy works by helping the nervous system no longer need them in the present.
Why Complex Trauma Requires a Different Approach
With complex trauma and dissociation, pushing too fast—emotionally, cognitively, or somatically—can backfire. Approaches that rely on reliving, intense emotional expression, or insight alone may increase fragmentation or shutdown.
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Effective therapy for complex trauma requires:
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Careful pacing
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Respect for protective responses
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Attention to the nervous system in real time
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Permission-based processing rather than forcing change
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Safety and regulation are not preliminary steps—they are part of the treatment itself.
How Therapy for Complex Trauma Works Here
My approach is depth-oriented, nervous-system-led, and explicitly attentive to dissociation.
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1. Stabilization and Internal Safety
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We begin by building enough internal safety so that parts of you don’t feel overwhelmed, bypassed, or forced into exposure. This may take time, and that is appropriate.
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2. Tracking Dissociation and Protective Responses
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Rather than trying to eliminate dissociation, we learn to notice when it arises and what it’s protecting. This reduces fear and builds capacity for presence.
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3. Parts-Oriented Trauma Processing
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When appropriate, trauma processing occurs in a way that respects different parts of self, their roles, and their protective intentions.
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4. Integration Over Time
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The goal is not to “get rid of parts” or force unity, but to reduce internal conflict, increase cooperation, and support a greater sense of internal continuity.
Approaches Used in Complex Trauma & Dissociation Work
Depending on your needs and readiness, therapy may include:
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Ego State Therapy
A parts-oriented approach that helps different aspects of self relate with less conflict, fear, or fragmentation.
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Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)
Addresses early shock and orienting responses that often underlie dissociation and shutdown.
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Nervous System Regulation Work
Supports stabilization, orientation, and capacity so processing can occur without overwhelm.
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These approaches are integrated thoughtfully and used only when your system indicates readiness.
Who This Work Is For
This may be a good fit if you:
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Experience dissociation, shutdown, or internal fragmentation
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Feel “high-functioning” but disconnected internally
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Have a history of early or relational trauma
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Have tried therapy before and felt overwhelmed or stalled
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Want careful, depth-oriented trauma work
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This may not be a good fit if you:
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Are seeking rapid exposure or cathartic release
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Want highly directive or technique-driven sessions
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Need crisis-level or inpatient care
Practical Details
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Private-pay practice
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Adults only
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Superbills available for out-of-network reimbursement
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Sessions emphasize pacing, safety, and consent
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Located in Tucson, Arizona
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