Trauma and life transitions
Loss, a hard season, a move, a diagnosis, a change you didn't choose. Making sense of what happened and finding your footing after it.
By secure video, anywhere in Oregon
Some experiences stay with us long after they're over. Others arrive as a change we didn't see coming: a death, a divorce, a lost job, a move, a diagnosis, children leaving home. Either way it can feel like the ground shifted. Counseling gives you a steady place to sort through it.
What it can help with
- Painful experiences that still feel close, even years later
- Grief after a death or another kind of loss
- Divorce or the end of a relationship
- Job loss, retirement, or a career change
- A new diagnosis, for you or someone you love
- A move, a new baby, or a suddenly quiet house
How I work
With trauma, safety and pace come first. You decide what we talk about and when. We don't go into the hardest parts before you have ways to steady yourself, and you can slow down or stop at any point. I use trauma-focused approaches and I don't rush them.
With a transition, the work is often grieving what's ending while you work out what comes next.
What a session is like
Some sessions are quiet and slow. Others are practical: sleep, routines, the conversation you need to have. I check in with you often about how the pace feels.
Questions people ask
Do I have to talk about the details of what happened?
No. You're in charge of what you share and when. We can do meaningful work without going through every detail.
Is it trauma if nothing "big" happened?
Trauma isn't measured by how an event looks from the outside. If something still affects how you feel, sleep, or relate to people, it's worth talking about.
My life changed and I don't know why I'm struggling. Is that normal?
Very. Even changes we wanted can bring loss with them. Counseling is a good place to make sense of that.
Book a first session
Call or email me with a good time to reach you, or see the ways to book.
Other ways I help
- Individual therapyOne hour that belongs to you. We start with what brought you in and go at the pace you set.
- Relationships and familyFor adults working through what is happening with a partner, a parent, a grown child, or the people they share a home with.
- Anxiety and depressionFor the worry that wakes you at three in the morning and the heaviness that makes ordinary days hard to start.
- Faith-based guidanceIf your faith is part of how you understand your life, it can be part of how we work. Scripture and prayer come in only if you ask for them.
- Personal growthNot every reason to see a counselor is a crisis. Sometimes you're ready to understand yourself better and grow on purpose.