Cara Deininger (she/her)

Interpersonal issues, often rooted in past trauma, can affect relationships and self-concept. Relational trauma can impact safety, trust, and emotional intimacy, leading to shame and emotional struggles. Therapy offers a supportive space to explore these patterns, identify how past experiences influence current interactions, and develop healthier ways of relating to others. I use psychodynamic and interpersonal therapy approaches to foster deeper connections and strengthen self-confidence.

Perinatal mental health focuses on emotional well-being during pregnancy and postpartum. Therapy provides a supportive space to address prenatal anxiety, postpartum depression, OCD, birth trauma, identity shifts, and grief. Using CBT, IPT, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care, I help clients build coping skills and process emotions. Therapy also explores societal pressures around motherhood, empowering women to find balance, strength, and connection during this transformative time.

Trauma impacts emotions, relationships, and physical health. PTSD, a common response, includes symptoms like intrusive memories, hypervigilance, avoidance, and mood changes. I offer compassionate, evidence-based care for trauma survivors, using Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Written Exposure Therapy (WET). These therapies help clients process trauma, challenge unhelpful thoughts, reduce avoidance, and foster resilience, supporting healing and reclaiming a sense

I utilize CBT to help you better understand how your thoughts influence your feelings and actions. Together we will identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and develop coping skills to deal with challenges more effectively. It is a structured, goal-oriented approach to therapy that I often used to treat anxiety and depression, and to help you develop a deeper understanding, greater resilience, and improved relationship with yourself and others.

Past relationships shape our beliefs about safety, trust, and connection, and can lead to difficulties with emotions, shame, and poor self-concept. I utilize a psychodynamic approach to help you process these experiences, identify how your past influences your current relationships, develop healthier ways of relating to your partner, children, and loved ones, and strengthen your sense of self and confidence.

Trauma can affect every aspect of a person’s life--emotions, relationships, and physical well-being. PTSD is a common response to trauma and includes symptoms of intrusive memories, hypervigilance, avoidance, and changes in mood or cognition. I have advanced training in evidence-based treatments of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Written Exposure Therapy (WET) to help you process your experiences, regain a sense of safety and reclaim your life.