@TraumaTherapySD

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    Psychotherapy Consultation Services

    I offer consultation services to other licensed therapists. Please note that although I am licensed in the state of California, I do not provide clinical supervision hours that will count toward licensure.

    The following are some areas that I can offer consultation around:

    In the area of trauma, I have expertise in working with complex and attachment trauma, as well as extensive training in dissociative disorders. The theory that I use in my work is theory of structural dissociation of the personality.

    I have many years’ experience in working in community mental health and understand the challenges of not only work with serious mental illness, but of doing so in the context of systems that often do not provide support for the complexity and nuance this work needs. I have experience in working with clients with multiple, complex issues and I understand the particular challenges of working with psychotic and delusional disorders.

    Working with the LGBTQIA+ community in general and the gender diverse communities in particular. My preference would be that you seek out therapists who are also part of those communities to consult with, but I know this may be uncomfortable as you are learning.

    EMDR Consultation Services

    My Own Journey

    I was first trained in EMDR therapy in 2014 as I was looking for a better way to help my traumatized clients. At the time I was working in a community health clinic and was seeing people with some really complicated issues, multiple psychosocial stressors, and suffering from complex trauma and dissociation. So, I guess you could say I’ve been swimming in deep waters from the beginning with EMDR.

    I remember really being left with a lot of questions and concerns about how to proceed after my Basic Training and almost being scared away from this kind of work. Finding the right consultant helped me gain a fuller, more nuanced understanding of my clients, of how to assess for dissociation and to titrate the work to make it safer. I hope to be able to pay that forward and help others in learning EMDR therapy.

    Now that I am an EMDR Consultant, I am excited to help those looking to hone their skills. I have completed extensive, advanced training in EMDR therapy, and the use of EMDR in treating structural dissociation, complex Trauma and attachment trauma.

    Common Struggles for New EMDR Therapists

    One of the hardest parts of learning EMDR therapy, both from my own experience and the reports of others, is simply starting to use it in your practice. The struggle of how to introduce it to clients you already have an established working relationship with, having to admit you are in training and new to this, the potential awkwardness of using forms in session are all normal parts of the adjustment process. By committing to consultation, you increase the chances that you will actively work through these issues to continue using what you have learned.

    The second biggest hurdle is continuing to use the entire EMDR standard protocol until you are thoroughly familiar with it. Often therapists will take the Basic Training, decide not to continue with consultation and will drift from the standard protocol. When this happens EMDR therapy loses effectiveness and there is more danger of doing harm. It’s important to learn to use the standard protocol until you are comfortable with it and then if you need to deviate from it, to do so in a thoughtful, purposeful fashion. Again, this is where consultation can be very helpful.

    Finally, a significant issue with therapists in general, is being able to screen for dissociation and determining if it is pathological. This is even more important to learn when doing EMDR therapy as this approach can easily unlock dissociative disorders previously undetected without proper screening and assessment. It is essential to learn how to assess for structural dissociation and then know what to do if you find it. Just because a client is highly dissociative or even has Dissociative Identity Disorder, does not mean that EMDR therapy cannot be used. But it must be significantly modified. And knowing how to do that comes with specialized training, consultation and experience.

    Consultation Expectations

    Consultees will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and application of the Standard Protocol, 8 phases and 3 prong approach, and understanding of the AIP Model and to provide at least one video sample of a reprocessing session.

    Common Questions

    What are the requirements to become certified?

    The requirements and application can be found here.

    What is the cost?

    My fee for individual consultation is $185/hour.

    I am committed to making EMDR training and certification more accessible and therefore if you identify as trans/non-binary, queer or BIPOC and cannot afford my hourly rate, please contact me directly and we may be able to come to an agreement for a reduced fee for consultation. 

    Do you offer virtual consultation?

    Yes, at the same hourly rate as in-person consultation