You survived it. But part of you is still living there.

Trauma can follow you long after the danger has passed - into your relationships, your body, the way you see yourself, and the choices you make. Therapy can help you work with the parts of you that are still bracing for something to go wrong.

EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy help your nervous system and mind actually process what happened, so the past stops feeling like it’s still happening now.

Maybe you recognize yourself here.

You replay conversations afterward, wondering if you said the wrong thing.

Someone's tone changes and your whole body notices.

A sound, smell, place, or seemingly ordinary moment can suddenly bring you right back to something you thought was over.

You know you're allowed to say no, but disappointing someone still feels almost unbearable.

You can recognize an unhealthy relationship—and still find yourself pulled toward the same dynamics.

You're compassionate toward everyone else's mistakes but merciless about your own.

You blame yourself for things you would never blame someone else for surviving.

Sometimes your body reacts before you even understand what it's reacting to.

Part of you knows you're safe now. Another part doesn't seem convinced.

You've talked about what happened. You understand it intellectually. But part of you still responds as though it could happen again.

Understanding the pattern is important. Changing it is something else.

There may be very good reasons you learned to stay alert, keep people happy, disconnect from your feelings, expect rejection, or take responsibility for things that weren't yours.

Those strategies may have helped you once. They don't have to run your life forever.

Therapy can become a place to understand those patterns with curiosity rather than judgment—and help your mind and body learn that things can be different now.

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
— Louisa May Alcott

Sometimes talking about it isn't enough.

You might understand exactly where a belief came from and still feel it in your bones.

EMDR helps your brain revisit experiences that still feel unfinished so they can become something that happened then, rather than something your nervous system keeps responding to now.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps us get curious about the different parts of you (the part that criticizes, the part that avoids, the part that keeps everyone happy, the part that shuts down) that developed to protect, cope, or survive difficult experiences.

Together, these approaches can help you:

  • feel less reactive to painful memories

  • reduce anxiety and emotional overwhelm

  • understand yourself with more compassion

  • move forward with greater confidence, clarity, and direction

You can learn more about these approaches on the EMDR and IFS pages of this site.

Hi, I’m Tara

I work with adults who carry the effects of difficult childhoods, painful relationships, sexual trauma, and experiences that changed how they see themselves or the people around them.

My style is warm, collaborative, curious, and engaged. I’m not the kind of therapist who sits silently while the hour passes. From me you’ll hear questions, thoughtful feedback, laughter, and honest conversations about the things that aren’t so easy to talk about.

And because therapy happens online, you can meet with me from a place where you already feel comfortable. I offer online therapy to adults throughout California, so you can do this work from a space that feels familiar and private. Your favorite chair. Your dog next to you. A blanket. Tea. No commute home after a difficult session.

You don’t need to know exactly where to start. We can figure that out together.

Schedule a free consultation

Areas I specialize in

  • Trauma & PTSD

  • Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

  • Childhood & Attachment Trauma

  • Sexual Trauma & Abuse

  • Relationship & Attachment Patterns

  • Dissociation

  • Anxiety & Hypervigilance

  • Shame & Self-Criticism

  • People-Pleasing & Difficulty Setting Boundaries

  • Life After Trauma

What do I need for online therapy?

Online therapy is designed to be simple and accessible. Most people already have everything they need.

For our sessions together, it helps to have:

A stable internet connection
A reliable internet connection helps sessions run smoothly without interruptions.

The ability to join a video call
Sessions take place over secure video. Your device will need a working camera, microphone, and speakers so we can see and hear each other during our appointment.

A private space for sessions
Choose a quiet place where you feel comfortable speaking openly and won’t be interrupted during the session.

Headphones (recommended)
Headphones can improve sound quality and help protect your privacy, especially if others are nearby.

A laptop or computer (recommended)
A laptop or desktop computer generally works better than a phone. The larger screen allows for a wider range of motion for the eye movements used during EMDR therapy.

  • Premier Telehealth Experience

    Excellent internet connectivity, clear sound and video quality, private connection, comforting environment. Sessions are accessible from anywhere in California.

  • Evidence-Based Treatments

    EMDR and IFS are modalities supported by clinical research. I am committed to deepening my clinical mastery through ongoing training in evidence-based and effective therapeutic approaches.

  • Tailored Treatment Plans

    Collaborative treatment planning combines your lived experience with my clinical expertise into a personalized roadmap for healing. We'll define your goals and use science-backed strategies to guide our work. No one-size-fits-all solutions here.