Mindful Harbor Therapy

Journey Through Trauma-Informed Healing: A Story of Experience, Resilience, and Compassion

I am grateful for the experiences I have earned from prestigious Universities and applied clinical work in hospitals, college campuses, forensic settings, and private practice for over two decades. In the early 2000’s, I began my academic training as a doctoral student of Clinical Psychology in Palo Alto, California. As a member of several prestigious clinical research teams at Stanford University, I focused on academic research and evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I also had the privilege to attend conferences and publish academic journal articles. In the decades that followed, my experiential understanding of trauma deepened my awareness of the cumulative stress of working in traumatizing environments. Most recently, I was deployed to the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, as a first responder to provide psychological first aid to survivors of California’s most devastating wildfire in 2018. While that experience was incredibly rewarding and the state of California honored me with the Medal of Valor, I also came away from that time in my life with a much deeper understanding of the somatic nature of trauma and I became more dedicated to learn about more specific trauma-informed practices when the others fell short in healing my own traumatized psyche. 

Exposure to trauma is no longer limited to the classic “Big T” traumas such as exposure to the atrocities of war, natural disasters, sexual assault, and other life-threatening events. Today, the literature has taught us that the “Little t” traumas also adversely impact us just as much and can be equally harmful to our psyche. The cumulation of persistent threats to our self-esteem and self-worth often lead to deep-rooted feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Common examples of these experiences are exposure to racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, and other chronic exposures to systemic atrocities in our daily lives. Whether they are “big or small” traumas, these life-threatening events disrupt of sense of safety and often leave us feeling lost and alone.  Those life-changing events can create a deep imprint and lasting impact on an individual’s mental health and wellbeing. Like a ship lost at sea, the deep waters of trauma can feel overpowering and threatening to our very existence. However, the beacon of light that comes from a heart and mind rooted in mindful compassion can guide you back to your real Self. I have trained in new emerging fields of somatic (mind/body) psychology and trauma-informed interventions such as EMDR, IFS, and polyvagal theory. It is my mission in life to bring healing to those of us who have experienced chronic stress and trauma and find tools that bring peace and equilibrium to our nervous system. I am truly grateful that you have visited my Mindful Harbor and I hope you stay to learn more.