Healing from Early Childhood Trauma.

Early childhood trauma lives not only in our memories but in our bodies, our nervous systems, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.

When we experience neglect, abuse, loss, or the absence of safe attunement early in life, the world can begin to feel unsafe—even decades later. These experiences shape our capacity for trust, belonging, and self-worth, influencing our relationships and how we inhabit our bodies.

Yet trauma is not who you are. It is what happened to you. And healing is possible.

My Approach.

Mind-Body-Spirit Integration is at the heart of this work.

Healing emerges when we listen to the body’s signals, calm the mind’s protective narratives, and nurture the spirit’s longing for wholeness. Each session is attuned to where you are in your process, honoring both the pain that was and the possibility that is becoming.

In our work together, we create a compassionate, steady space where your story can unfold at its own pace. I draw from Narrative Therapy, Depth Psychology, Mindfulness-Based Somatic Practices, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy to support the re-weaving of body, mind, and spirit into coherence and wholeness.

• Narrative Therapy invites you to explore and re-author the stories that have shaped your sense of self. We gently examine how early experiences have influenced your beliefs, relationships, and choices—discovering where inherited narratives can be released and new meaning can take root.

• Depth Psychology provides a symbolic and archetypal lens through which we can understand trauma not only as a wound, but as an invitation toward transformation. Dreams, images, and the unconscious are honored as guides that lead us toward integration and greater self-understanding.

• Somatic and Mindfulness Work help you reconnect to your body’s wisdom. Trauma often fragments our awareness; gentle embodiment practices—such as grounding through the breath, orienting to the senses, mindful movement, and guided visualization—support regulation and safety within the nervous system.

  You may learn to notice subtle sensations, shifts in breath, or impulses toward movement, allowing the body to express what words alone cannot.

• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) offers a unique and deeply experiential approach to healing trauma. Horses, as highly attuned and nonjudgmental beings, respond authentically to our emotional states and body language. In the arena, their presence invites regulation, trust, and connection—often where words have fallen short.

  Through interactions such as grooming, leading, or observing herd behavior, clients begin to sense their own nervous system in real time, developing awareness of boundaries, safety, and relational repair. The horse becomes both mirror and companion, helping to restore a sense of agency, calm, and relational attunement.

  EAP sessions are conducted in partnership with a certified equine specialist, ensuring that both client and horse experience safety and respect throughout the process.

The Healing Process.

Recovery from early trauma is not about erasing the past but about learning to live more fully in the present. Over time, clients often describe feeling:

• More grounded and embodied;

• More compassionate toward the child they once were;

• More capable of creating boundaries and relationships that feel safe and reciprocal; and

• More connected to their inner wisdom and creative life.

Healing unfolds as a slow remembering of one’s inherent worth and vitality. Together, we follow the threads of your story back toward belonging—within yourself, your body, and the wider web of life.

What Does our work together look Like?

Each psychotherapy session lasts 53 minutes and is shaped by your story, your pace, and your readiness.

The first session offers a gentle beginning—an opportunity to share what brings you here and what feels most important to name. We may explore how early experiences, relationships, and family patterns have shaped your sense of safety, belonging, and self. There is no need to recount painful memories before a sense of trust and safety has been established.

Ongoing sessions unfold organically, guided by the themes, emotions, and embodied experiences that arise from session to session. Our work may draw on imagery, dreams, mindfulness, or somatic awareness to help integrate what the body remembers and the mind has learned to protect. Healing often begins in the quiet noticing—the breath that deepens, the muscle that softens, the moment you feel safe enough to tell the truth of your story.

I listen with care and attunement to both your words and what may live beneath them—the pauses, the sensations, the archetypal patterns that whisper through your narrative. My role is to walk beside you as you rediscover your own authority and capacity for healing, creating together a safe, respectful space where what was once unspeakable can slowly find language, movement, and meaning.

Integrative and Future Offerings.

In 2026, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) will become available for clients interested in exploring trauma healing through relational work with horses. Because equine sessions are not appropriate for everyone, clients will be thoughtfully assessed for fit with this experiential modality. For many, the horse’s calm presence, sensitivity, and authenticity offer a profound mirror for nervous system regulation and relational repair.

HOW MANY SESSIONS?

I recommend a commitment of at least 16 sessions, upon which we review progress and determine next steps together. You can terminate our work together at any time.

Referrals, Limits, and Crisis Protocol.

I believe that deep healing is best supported within a network of skilled, collaborative care.

While my practice integrates depth psychology, narrative therapy, mindfulness, and somatic awareness, certain trauma presentations—such as complex dissociation or unprocessed acute trauma—may require specialized interventions.

In these cases, I may recommend adjunctive or alternative support from trusted colleagues certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting, or other trauma-informed modalities. All referrals are made to vetted and respected clinicians who share a commitment to compassionate, evidence-based care.

If you are in acute distress or crisis, please know that Rainwater Counseling is not a crisis center and cannot provide 24-hour emergency support. If you ever feel unsafe with yourself or others, please call 911, reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or go to your nearest emergency department.