Trauma Therapy in Tucson
A nervous-system-based approach for adults living with the effects of complex, developmental, or unresolved trauma.
If you’ve been in therapy before and still feel stuck, overwhelmed, numb, or internally fragmented, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing anything wrong. Many trauma responses don’t resolve through insight, willpower, or talking alone.
My work focuses on helping the nervous system no longer need to stay in protection.
Why Trauma Often Persists Despite Therapy
Trauma is not just a painful memory or a belief that needs to be corrected. For many people, trauma lives in the nervous system as patterns of tension, shutdown, vigilance, or dissociation.
You may understand why something happened and still feel reactive, frozen, or disconnected. This isn’t resistance or failure—it’s the nervous system doing exactly what it learned to do to survive.
When therapy focuses only on insight, emotional expression, or pushing through discomfort, these protective responses often remain in place.
Trauma therapy becomes more effective when the nervous system itself is included in the work.
How Trauma Shows Up in the Body and Nervous System
People seeking trauma therapy often notice patterns such as:
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Feeling shut down, foggy, or disconnected
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Chronic tension, bracing, or hypervigilance
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Sudden overwhelm, panic, or collapse
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Emotional numbness or difficulty accessing feelings
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Internal conflict or parts of self pulling in different directions
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Strong reactions that feel out of proportion or hard to control
These responses are adaptive. They developed for a reason. Trauma therapy works by helping the nervous system no longer need them in the present.
How Trauma Therapy Works Here
My approach is slow, consent-based, and nervous-system-led. The goal is not to force processing, but to create the conditions where processing can occur safely.
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1. Safety and Stabilization
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We begin by establishing enough safety, pacing, and internal permission so your system does not feel pushed or overwhelmed. This phase is essential, especially for complex or developmental trauma.
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2. Nervous System Tracking
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Rather than focusing on story or analysis, we gently track how your nervous system responds in the present moment. This helps reduce overwhelm and builds capacity over time.
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3. Trauma Processing (When Ready)
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When your system is ready, trauma is processed using depth-oriented, body-based methods such as Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), Ego State Therapy, and Brainspotting-informed work. Processing happens at a pace your nervous system can tolerate.
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4. Integration
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The goal is not catharsis. The goal is integration—less effort to function, fewer symptoms, and more internal coherence over time.
Modalities Used in Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapy may include one or more of the following approaches, depending on what best fits your nervous system and history:
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Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)
A precise, shock-based trauma therapy that targets early threat and orienting responses often underlying complex trauma.
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Ego State Therapy
A parts-oriented approach that helps reduce internal conflict, fragmentation, and dissociation by working with aspects of self respectfully and safely.
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Brainspotting-Informed Trauma Work
A nervous-system-based method that supports trauma processing through focused attention and regulation.
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These approaches are integrated thoughtfully rather than used as techniques applied on top of you.
Is This Trauma Therapy a Fit?
This may be a good fit if you:
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Have tried therapy before but still feel stuck
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Experience dissociation, shutdown, or overwhelm
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Want depth-oriented work that moves slowly and safely
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Are seeking trauma therapy for long-standing or early experiences
This may not be a good fit if you:
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Are looking for quick coping tools only
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Want highly directive or advice-driven therapy
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Need crisis-level or inpatient support
Practical Details
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Private-pay practice
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Adults only
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Superbills provided for out-of-network reimbursement
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Sessions prioritize pacing, safety, and consent
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Located in Tucson, Arizona