Gabrielle DeFriese (She/her)

Depression can manifest in a variety of differing ways, effecting our mood, appetite, sleep, concentration, physical health, and more. Depression is typically rooted in a deeper stressor or trauma that we carry within us. The key usually lies within simultaneously uncovering and processing the root of the depression, as well as learning coping skills and techniques to carry us through the day-to-day.

I believe everyone can benefit from therapy, not just when someone is struggling with significant distress. We can all learn and grow throughout our lifetime. I understand the importance of always looking within so we can constantly strive for a better self. So, whether you are noticing some symptoms arise that you want to release, or you simply want to learn more about yourself and challenge yourself to grow, therapy is the right place for you.

My graduate thesis is titled: "Inseparable Body and Mind: Conceptualizing Physical Health and Chronic Illness and Its Relationship to Adverse Childhood Experiences." My research focuses on the profound effect adverse events and trauma from our past have on our physical health and wellbeing. Often, trauma stays within our body and manifests in physical form. Additionally, I understand the effects a physical illness can have on mental health.

As a humanistic therapist, I look at each client as a whole person. I believe that the client is the expert in their own life, and it is my intention as a therapist to help guide someone back to themselves. All the answers lie within yourself, and I will do my best to help guide you to your true nature. This often involves bringing awareness to the here-and-now present moment, focusing on process over content, and openly working through the client-therapist relationship.

As an advanced trained yoga teacher (RYT-500), I have spent many years of my training learning meditation and mindfulness. True mindfulness is becoming aware of our thoughts, emotions, bodies, and the environment around us. Throughout therapy, I will bring the client back to a mindful state, so they can be fully aware of how they are thinking and feeling in each moment. We will also work on implementing mindfulness practices in daily life so the client can live more fully in each passing moment.

As a holistic therapist, I focus on integrating the mind, body, and spirit. By focusing solely on one aspect of ourselves in our healing journey, we neglect the other vital parts of what makes us... us. Only by working through every aspect of ourselves and fully integrating into wholeness is where true healing begins. Growth and healing are lifelong processes in a journey to find ourselves.

Anxiety can stem from many different root causes. The experience can range from cognitive distress (racing thoughts, irrational thoughts, fears, etc.) to physical/somatic distress (heart palpitations, upset stomach, headaches, fatigue, etc.). I integrate both mind and body practices to cope with and manage symptoms of anxiety, particularly mindfulness practices and body movements, while also working together to explore the root cause.

EMDR is a highly researched and effective treatment for trauma and adverse events. I take an attachment-focus SAFE approach, in which we mindfully prepare for you to process deeper traumas and distressing memories, and shift how they manifest in the present. We work with memories that were maladaptively or improperly stored from your past, and utilize bilateral stimulation to reprocess them. The emotional and physical body has a natural ability to heal, & EMDR facilitates this deeper processing.