Relational Trauma Therapy in Seattle, WA
Some wounds don't start with a single moment. They build quietly, through years of not feeling chosen, safe, or enough, and show up in every relationship that matters.
Relational trauma lives in the space between who you know yourself to be and who you've been told you are, and for a long time, those two worlds haven't been able to exist together.
You've learned to be independent because depending on people has hurt too much.
You have people in your life who love you, but real depth, real safety, real belonging… that feels like it was meant for other people. Not you. Not after everything.
You want connection. But you've been hurt by the people who were supposed to love you the most, and somewhere along the way you started to wonder if that says something about you.
This is What Relational Trauma Can Feel Like
It often shows up quietly in your body, in your thoughts, and in how much of yourself you allow to be present with others:
Your body stays on high alert in relationships.
You track tone, mood, and distance, bracing for things to shift.
You replay interactions long after they’re over.
You go back over what you said, what they meant, and what you should’ve done differently
You don’t fully trust your own instincts.
You second-guess yourself and wonder if you’re too sensitive or just missing something.
You want closeness and judge yourself for it.
Longing, shame, and self-criticism tangle together.
You shrink yourself to keep connection.
You minimize needs, soften boundaries, or stay quiet to avoid rocking the boat.
You feel alone, even with people.
Connection feels fragile, and being fully seen feels risky.
If this feels like you, something in you already knows it's time. Relational trauma therapy in Seattle is here when you’re ready. It’s a space where you don't have to perform okayness, defend your pain, or shrink yourself to be understood. You can just be. And we start from there.
How can Relational Trauma Therapy in Seattle Help?
You have a place to bring your real relational self.
The parts of you that overthink, pull back, cling, freeze, or people-please are not corrected or coached away. They are understood in context.Your reactions are slowed down by being met, not rushed or judged.
Over time, being responded to with consistency and care can change how much you have to stay on guard in connection.You learn what belongs to the past and what is happening now.
Patterns that once kept you safe are explored gently, so they do not have to run every relationship automatically.You practice staying connected without abandoning yourself.
Therapy becomes a place to notice needs, boundaries, and emotions in real time, without having to disappear to keep closeness.
Relational trauma can come from…
When your body feels safer, your life opens.
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When your body feels safer, your life opens. 〰️
My Approach to Overcoming Relational Trauma in Seattle
Relational trauma often teaches you to disconnect from yourself in order to stay connected to others. Maybe you learned to minimize your needs, over-explain, stay hyperaware of other people’s emotions, shut down during conflict, or carry the weight of relationships alone. Over time, these patterns can leave you feeling anxious, emotionally exhausted, disconnected, or unsure of how to fully trust yourself or others.
My approach to relational trauma therapy is deeply relational and experiential. I pay close attention to the moments that happen underneath the words, the shift in your tone when something vulnerable surfaces, the way your body braces before speaking honestly, the urge to disconnect, over-explain, apologize, or make yourself smaller in relationships. In our work together, we begin making sense of the patterns that once helped you survive but may now be keeping you disconnected from yourself, your emotions, and the people you care about most.
Therapy becomes a space where you no longer have to perform strength, suppress your needs, or carry pain alone. Healing relational trauma is not just about understanding your past intellectually. It is about having new emotional experiences inside of a relationship where your full self is welcomed with curiosity and compassion. This work can help you build deeper self-trust, healthier boundaries, more secure relationships, and the ability to move through connection without abandoning yourself in the process.
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We build trust through connection
We create a supportive relationship where your body can finally relax and your guard can come down. This becomes the foundation for all deeper healing work.
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We explore the whole you
We look at your patterns, your body's cues, what your brain is thinking, your gut instincts, and even lifestyle factors like stress, rest, creativity, and spirituality. If it shapes your healing, we include it.
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We practice compassionate ways of responding
With somatic tools, mindfulness, and compassion-based work, you learn to move through triggers and tough moments with more clarity and self-trust.
Integrated Therapy Approaches
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Attachment Science
Attachment science explores how the relationships we first relied on create a blueprint for how we connect, cope, and feel safe. Those early bonds influence how we view ourselves and how we show up in relationships throughout our lives. Learn more about sex therapy here!
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Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems sees your inner world as made up of different “parts,” each with its own emotions, roles, and intentions. When you get to know these parts with compassion, the inner conflict softens and you create more space for clarity, peace, and healing.
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Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy works with the body because healing isn’t just a mindset shift, it’s a nervous system shift. As your system learns to regulate, reactions soften, emotions feel more manageable, and change happens more naturally.
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Mindfulness
Mindfulness is really just learning to pay attention to what’s happening inside and around you, in real time, without piling up the criticism. It’s the practice of noticing your thoughts and feelings with curiosity rather than judgment, so you can respond with clarity instead of reacting on autopilot.
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Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
KAP in a therapeutic setting can help soften rigid patterns, open new perspectives, and make emotional healing more accessible. Paired with compassionate guidance and integration work, it can create a safe inner space for deeper insight, release, and meaningful change. Learn more about KAP here!
Ready to invest in yourself or relationship(s)? Here’s how to begin:
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Step 1: Consultation
Start with a free 20-minute phone call or video by filling out the consultation form below. We’ll explore your intentions for therapy and if my style is the right fit for you.
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Step 2: Book a Session
We’ll begin with an intake session and then have online weekly or biweekly meetings from the comfort of your home.
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Step 3: Trust the Process
We’ll dive into the essence of your concerns and create new emotional experiences that help you embody lasting change.
Online therapy in Seattle, WA and throughout Oregon
Attachment trauma therapy for adults ready to feel secure in relationships, calm in themselves, and confident in their truth.