Alena Swanson

EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain and body. I received advanced training and consultation in Attachment Focused EMDR, from the Parnell Institute, which integrates EMDR with principles of attachment theory. Completing this Level 1 training has equipped me with specialized skills to effectively utilize AF-EMDR in my practice, particularly in addressing complex trauma and attachment-related issues.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-centered approach to healing trauma that integrates talk therapy with awareness of the body and nervous system. It’s especially effective for addressing experiences that may not be fully accessible through words alone, such as early developmental trauma or chronic stress responses. I’ve completed Level I training through the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute so that healing can happen not just cognitively, but somatically and emotionally as well.

Internal Family Systems is a therapy approach based on the idea that we all have different “parts” within us—like a critical part, a people-pleasing part, or a protective part. IFS helps people build understanding and connection with these parts, rather than pushing them away, so that healing can happen from the inside out. I’ve completed specialized education in both IFS and IFIO (Intimacy From the Inside Out), a model that applies IFS principles to couples work.

My approach is informed by advanced training in attachment-focused therapies—including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), EMDR, and Internal Family Systems (IFS)—which allows me to help clients heal the relational wounds and early attachment injuries that often underlie codependent behaviors. This integrated lens supports lasting change, helping clients move from self-sacrifice and disconnection toward greater self-trust.

I specialize in helping clients build healthy self-esteem by addressing the root causes of self-doubt and self-criticism. I am also trained in self-compassion practices based on the work of Dr. Kristin Neff, which offer the benefits of self-esteem—like confidence and resilience—without its common pitfalls. When we fail, self-esteem abandons us. Self-compassion comforts us. Drawing from attachment-focused therapies, I support clients in developing self-worth, boundaries, and confidence.

As a systemically trained Marriage and Family Therapist, I specialize in intergenerational trauma and PTSD—how unprocessed pain, survival strategies, and attachment wounds are passed down and show up in our current lives. Talk therapy alone often isn’t enough to heal trauma, because it lives in the body and nervous system, not just in our thoughts. We can know we’re no longer in danger and still feel unsafe. I’ve pursued advanced training in trauma-focused modalities to promote deeper healing.