ZariaGarden,MFT

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                                             About me

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When I began therapy, I was suffering from unprocessed trauma from my childhood and a lack of connection to myself. I felt burdened by negative beliefs, disconnected from my body and feelings, and disconnected from my family-of-origin. I both longed for and feared intimacy with myself and others.  

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With the help of a knowledgable and empathetic therapist, I slowly began the process of coming into relationship with myself. I came to realize I was raised in a narcissistically structured family, and when I began to remember and talk about the family trauma, I found family members unwilling or unable to discuss what happened. This meant I had to find a way back to myself without the help of my family. 

 

With therapeutic support, I learned how be curious about my thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. I developed the capacity to tolerate sadness, anger, and pain, and as a result layers of negative conditioning from my childhood began to peel away- revealing inner strength, clarity, connection, and aliveness. 

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EMDR and parts work have been major components in this process. Since EMDR opens up memory channels, I gained access to feelings, sensations, and beliefs, some of which originated in childhood. Parts work helped me form a relationship with aspects of myself that hold vulnerable feelings and memories. This helped to process previously stuck places and inaccessible memories. Over time I learned how to be in-relationship-with myself in a new way. This resulted in less emotional disturbance and an overall reduction in anxiety.

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I received an MA in Integral Counseling Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Integral psychology includes the whole being: body, mind, heart, and spirit in the healing process. I completed Basic training in EMDR through the Parnell Institute. I am a member of the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). I have a BSBA in Business Administration and Finance from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and am Certified as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the Hypnotherapy Academy of America in Santa Fe, NM.

 




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