Morgan Lavender

Through my trauma certification, I acquired many skills focused on how the body responds to emotions and our environment. I utilize this theoretical lens to connect mind and body so that my clients have awareness over how their bodies hold and respond to stress, emotions and relationships. This awareness allows for regulating these body response symptoms to decrease stress and anxiety while promoting relaxation and control.

I utilize a number of trauma informed interventions as a Certified Trauma Professional. I integrate nervous system regulation and coping skills to address dysregulation. I provide psychoeducation on how trauma impacts the way we view and respond to stimuli in our environments and integrate cognitive behavioral therapy and narrative therapy to identify and rewire automatic thoughts and connections in the brain.

I integrate CBT in some way or another into all of my therapy sessions. I typically use CBT in adjunction with Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) to not only identify and challenges, but also to accept and make room for difficult and unhealthy thoughts.

Anxiety is likely the most prevalent challenge I have encountered, both professionally and personally. It impacts our thoughts and our body, which is why I work with clients on how to address both of these areas to promote greater symptom reduction. I assist in identifying negative thought patterns, intrusive or worry thoughts, while also bringing awareness and coping skills for physical symptom such as panic, increased heart rate, dissociation, stomach upset and more.

As a child/teen therapist, I have extensive experience working with parents on how to support and encourage healthy growth in their children. I believe in supporting kids through this time in their lives where they are learning, and making mistakes. My goal is for parents to support, effectively communicate and set boundaries to facilitate emotionally healthy, autonomous children while also identifying and working through parental stressors and triggers so the parent feels in control.

I have extensive training and certification in providing trauma informed care to individuals across the lifespan. Together we work to understand how past experiences may be impacting present functioning and learn new ways to adapt and cope so that you can live the life you desire. I work through a somatic based, nervous system regulation approach to manage the body's over active, or under performing response system as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for managing thought based anxiety.