Licensed Professional Counselor
Certifications and/or training: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Hi, I’m Linda, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Registered Nurse. I’m glad you’re here. I bring my compassion, knowledge, curiosity, and full attention into our sessions. My clients describe me as warm, relatable, and real.
Grief and loss are part of the human condition. Yet, the impact it can have on us can be devastating. When my mom passed away three years ago, it felt like my world had stopped. I was disoriented, confused, and heartbroken. I remember thinking “How can the rest of the world just carry on as if nothing has happened? Don’t they know?” A time bomb had gone off and tore my map of reality to shreds. With help, I slowly made a new map of reality. I know the pain you are feeling and would be honored to guide you in navigating through it.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to healing, but there is a model of therapy that is brain-based, and evidence- based. This model views all symptoms and behaviors as survival strategies that once made sense but may no longer be serving you. YES! Every single symptom and behavior make sense in the context of your life experiences. Your story makes sense. You make sense! It’s not your fault. Depression, anxiety, stress, chronic pain, grief/loss, PTSD, addiction, and interpersonal difficulties are a result of nervous system dysregulation. We will begin to make sense of your unique presentation through this lens.
Adverse life events in childhood and adulthood cause our nervous system to respond with the stress cycle. Just as we digest our food, we must process (digest) these stressful experiences, or they get stuck in our bodies, which leads to present day symptoms. If we do not complete the stress response, or if the stress becomes chronic or too overwhelming the nervous system gets “stuck” in a dysregulated state of hyperarousal (think anxiety) or hypo arousal (think depression). Our symptoms are the body’s way of saying: CHECK ENGINE PLEASE.
Western society has taught us to ignore our body’s check engine signal. As you learn to complete the stress response, and process past traumatic experiences; your moods, behaviors, and unhelpful thought patterns begin to shift. You will gain tools to work with the nervous system in real time and become empowered, more resilient and regulated. You will learn mind-body techniques to move out of these protective stances and become reconnected to those you love.
I use an integrative approach that includes EMDR, Attachment Theory, Polyvagal Theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology, CBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and other mind-body wellness strategies. If this way of working sounds exciting to you, please schedule a free 15-minute call to see if we are the right fit to get you unstuck.
When scheduling an appointment, please ask for Linda Barnard.