Trauma and PTSD Therapists in Soquel, CA

Native American cultures believe a decision today will impact the next seven generations. I work to keep past traumas and unwanted patterns from impacting your life now and in the future. I specialize in trauma resolution (using EMDR and Flash Technique), managing anxiety/stress, personalizing interventions to improve school experiences, and improving family dynamics. Working with children ages 10 and older.

Therapy is a chance to explore your feelings and thoughts, to gain a better understanding of yourself, and to make positive changes that will allow you to experience life more fully. I will provide a safe environment for your exploration, and draw on my knowledge of theory and technique to help you access untapped or forgotten resources. I believe that through a respectful therapeutic relationship you will be able to explore beliefs that limit your life, and ultimately you will be able to choose, with awareness, how you want to be in the world.

I'm an experienced therapist of over 25 years having spent thousands of counseling hours with individuals, couples and groups. Women's issues such as sexual abuse, miscarriage, abortion, traumatic events, marital/relationship issues, depression, anxiety, grief and PTSD - are my specialty. I have counseled hundreds of couples to improve communication, intimacy/connection issues, trust; and to heal from infidelity, addictions and wounds that threaten the relationship. Issues of teens and young adults are important to address early in life: school, career, sexuality, relationships, traumas. Better to get help sooner than later!

Are you needing a safe and confidential place to sort through all that is going on, so that you can create a life of Greater Ease, Choice and Connection? Are you needing new skills to help address your “emotional dysregulation” so you have these tools available when you most need them? Somatically-Attuned Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps you creatively reduce inner criticism, shame and anxiety & reclaim a life of Greater Presence, Clarity & Joy. We will use Parts Dialogue, Expressive Arts, EFT Tapping & Guided Visualization to transform your old, critical limiting beliefs into Authentic Compassion, Love & Self-Appreciation!

Would you like to live a more fulfilled life with meaningful relationships? Do you want to make more sense of your life and your role in it? You have taken the first step! Finding the right therapist can be scary and confusing. I believe that a personal connection is the corner stone to a successful therapeutic experience. Sometimes traumatic events can bring us to lose our sense of well-being and our center and we need help regaining them. I am honored to support you on your path to regain a greater sense of yourself. I love working with adults, adolescents and couples.

I am currently only accepting new neurofeedback clients through the Santa Cruz Neurofeedback Center, www.scneurofeedback.com. I will be supervising a LPCC Associate starting Fall 2023. + + Feeling overwhelmed or stuck? I can support you in the process of moving forward. Using present moment experience, we'll explore how you relate with yourself and others. In this way, you can learn to set boundaries, expand your emotional capacity, as well as give and receive love more deeply.

I provide counseling for people of all ages who are struggling to find peace within themselves. We often find ourselves stuck within the grip of anxiety and depression due to the impact of unresolved trauma. These traumatic events can be either "big" or "small," yet they can interfere with the ability to live and love fully. It is possible to learn to love the unlovable and accept the unacceptable through a growth in awareness and compassion towards all that we are. I specialize in the treatment of trauma using EMDR therapy, the Hakomi Method and a compassionate presence.

Sometimes life presents seemingly overwhelming challenges. Answers to these questions lie within us. I can help you find solutions drawn from your own innate wholeness, wisdom and intelligence. Working together we can make significant steps along this journey to greater well being and more satisfying relationships. Allow me to accompany, guide and support you along your way. I bring over 30 years of professional experience and training in addictions, couples work, LBGT issues and trauma recovery to our sessions. I offer humor, empathy, a highly engaged style and a deep respect for the courage, resources and depth of each person.

Do you want to understand more about how and why you are the way you are? Are you contending with difficult and painful symptoms in your emotional and mental life? Do you need a safe, neutral, and compassionate third party to hear you, reflect your story, offer feedback, and try to make sense of your life together with you? Everyone contends with painful experiences and emotions in their lives. Often times we are confused by our pain because despite our best efforts, we can’t seem to make sense of why we are hurting so much or what to do about it. So often the pain in life is a result of unconscious energies within us.

Welcome! My name is Heather Rodriguez, and I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with over 10 years of experience working with teens, at-risk youth, adults, parents, and families. I help with issues like Depression, Anxiety, Sexual abuse/trauma, Sexual Identity, Stress, Grief, Trauma, Relationships, Self-Harm, and Coping Skills. I incorporate many modalities including Crisis Intervention, Solution Focused Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I recognize that seeking therapy is a difficult decision, and I am proud of you for taking the first step!

Relationships are hard, especially when we are carrying uncomfortable feelings about ourselves and others. It is useful to untangle what you would like and develop an outcome that meets your needs. Then, life will seem easier, and relationships will go more smoothly. It is helpful to identify the early imprints, the parts that are struggling to protect us and to bring trauma to a place where it is simply a memory. Beliefs that have been around forever about us need to be examined and updated.

A fundamental sense of wellbeing is our natural state. Having a sense of fear of what is going to happen next is also a part of our nature. Which experience dominates depends on which parts of our mind and nervous system are in the driver's seat, so to speak. We can use this knowledge to improve our relationships, enjoy our lives more, and feel more optimistic about the future by noticing which parts of our selves are in control and make a shift to access the innate wisdom that we all possess.

This is my passion and my clients feel at ease with me quickly with my empathy and humor. I help relationship stress, anxiety, PTSD, neurodiversity, grief, recovery from child and narcissistic abuse, finding their true authentic self and passion. I use client-centered Rogers, Kohut, EMDR, Beck and Ellis CBT, DBT. ACT, Jung... I am a Christian and I also respect people with other faiths or no faith. I help therapists, interns too.I am 72 years old and I have been married for 48 years to my beautiful wife singer Christina Purcell and we did individual and couple therapy too. We write songs such as the songs on her CD "Love's Calling."

Dr. Dufford received specialized training and experience in treating anxiety disorders at the Anxiety Treatment Center with Dr. Bourne, author of The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. Since 1993 Dr. Dufford is director of Anxiety Treatment Services treating Generalized Anxiety, OCD, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia, Specific Phobias, Social Anxiety and related issues: addiction, anger, depression, Trichotillomania/Excoriation, relationships, sleep/insomnia, grief and self-esteem. He is a professional member of the California Psychological Association, Obsessive Compulsive Foundation and EMDR International Association. Dr. Dufford is certified as a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Expert in Traumatic Stress and Addictions Counselor.

Congratulations for taking a step towards creating change. Finding a therapist can be challenging and it is important to find one who is right for you. I offer a free introductory session which we use to get to know each other. Clients often come into my office feeling hopeless or nervous, but usually leave feeling more hopeful and relaxed. I love to see people grow and thrive with the support of therapy. My style is warm, empathic, and collaborative. In our work together we draw on your strengths and wisdom and my goal is to empower you to create a more joyful and fulfilling life.

It takes courage to reach out to find a therapist! My therapy approach involves creating an alliance where you (the client) bring your own experience, emotions, and strengths, and I bring my academic background (PhD with an emphasis in trauma and PTSD) with many years of therapy training and experience to the table, and together we work toward understanding the challenges that you face, improving symptoms, and building resilience.

There are many reasons why a person, a couple, or a family might find themselves feeling stuck, down, disconnected, overwhelmed, or anxious. A significant portion of my education and training is based around helping clients reduce or resolve symptoms associated with their challenges. However, I find that helping clients identify the root of their obstacles—in addition to cultivating skills and strategies to work towards a strong mental and emotional sense of well-being and developing strong connected relationships—is as important as attending to mental, emotional, and relational symptoms.

I have been working in the mental health field for over 16 years. I want to help you figure out what is getting in the way of you and the life you want to live. Painful experiences you go through can cause you to feel stuck, and this can become frustrating and at times paralyzing. Everyone experiences a range of challenges throughout their life. Addressing these challenges alone can make it difficult to move forward. I want to join you as you begin this process.

Asking for help is one of the hardest things to do. Celebrate yourself for taking this leap! You're probably here because you are looking for someone to partner with to make sustainable changes, work through past or current experiences, and cultivate safety inside yourself and in your relationships. You value growth, honesty, authenticity, and rest. I provide a safe container for you to explore your inner self; all the reflections of light on the surface and all the darkness in the depths. We will learn how to feel, how to self soothe, and how to transform your thoughts, emotions, and sense of self.