Bianca Diaz (She/her)

Experiencing trauma can be life-altering. Often, trauma impacts our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world around us. While recovering, sometimes it feels as though we're 'stuck' in our new understanding of the world as less safe. Our body and brain's experiences of trauma can also get stuck or stored in the body, leading to what feels like a re-experiencing of life's hardest moments. Ask me how I use CPT and EMDR to address these symptoms and help clients get 'un-stuck'!

What's your immediate reaction to the word 'boundaries'? Notice if it feels like a 'dirty' word to you. In your relationships, do you often feel that you don't have a sense of self apart from your responsibilities to others, or that you often sacrifice your needs and wants for the sake of others? This is tough! We are people, we WANT to care! We're literally biologically wired for connection. It is possible, however, to connect unhealthily. Boundaries make all the difference.

"A life well lived is one that you don't regularly feel the need to escape from." Whew! Okay, let's stop there. What do you feel the need to escape from in your life? Is it parenting? Schoolwork? Caring for others? A job that seems to suck all of the energy and life out of you? Burn out can come from many places. What we think we need is a vacation. But, pro tip: burnout is usually a sign of your needs and life circumstances being misaligned, and/or your resources being overextended.

Sometimes moments happen super fast, and we find ourselves in the aftermath confused about how we got here. CBT helps to slow your process down by examining how your brain interprets things that happen, and what feelings and behaviors follow. In working together we can identify thinking patterns that keep you stuck in unhelpful cycles, and reshape those thoughts to help you transition into healthier and more meaningful ways of viewing and functioning in the world.

Sometimes moments happen super fast, and we find ourselves in the aftermath confused about how we got here. CBT helps to slow your process down by examining how your brain interprets things that happen, and what feelings and behaviors follow. In working together we can identify thinking patterns that keep you stuck in unhelpful cycles, and reshape those thoughts to help you transition into healthier and more meaningful ways of viewing and functioning in the world.

You wouldn't use an old rusty hammer to put a screw into a wall, right? See, that doesn't even make sense! Then why use old and ineffective life tools in this whole new life project of yours? DBT is a great way to add practical and effective life tools into your day to day functioning. If you want to be able to leave therapy with skills to help you regulate your emotions, function better in relationships, and tolerate tough moments, DBT is a meaningful element of your mental health toolkit.

I typically use EMDR, CPT, DBT, or TF-CBT with traumatized clients. But wait! While those letters may just look like a bunch of letters, what it means to me is that trauma sits differently with every single person, whether child, teen, or adult. My role as a trauma focused therapist is to offer space for whichever form trauma shows up for you; cognitive, somatic, and/or emotional. Although trauma symptoms push us toward shame and isolation,

I use EMDR, CPT, DBT, or TF-CBT with clients to address trauma. But wait! All of that may just look like a bunch of letters, what it means to me is that trauma sits differently with every single person, whether child, teen, or adult. My role as a trauma focused therapist is to offer space for whichever form trauma shows up for you; cognitive, somatic, and/or emotional. Although trauma symptoms push us toward shame and isolation, recovery IS possible even in just finding a safe space to heal.