Marissa Harris (She/Her/Hers)

Trauma recovery begins with developing skills to reduce distress. EMDR is a therapeutic approach that has been shown to help overcome symptoms of PTSD. Trauma experiences are stored in the wrong form of memory, leaving you stuck and unable to move forward in an integrated and healthy way. Through EMDR, you can feel at peace with the past and empowered in the present. After a successful course of EMDR therapy, you can remember the trauma without being triggered.

EMDR and CBT provide greater psychological flexibility in the presence of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors associated with pain. Using functional medicine, we explore how and why illness occurs & balance health by addressing the root causes of a disease. It helps us see the common pathways to disease (e.g., inflammation) the role of diet, stress, & physical activity; sciences of genes and metabolic processes; & the effects of environmental toxins on health and recovery.

I develop a collaborative partnership by respectfully evoking your own motivation and wisdom, knowing change happens on your timeline. I have found that often there is a long history of trauma, understanding trauma theory and how your brain is affected by patterns of chronic stress is key. Other treatments used are Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) which helps to target negative thought processes, racing thoughts, cravings, and physiological experiences.

Motivational interviewing (MI) helps to build a collaborative conversation that strengthens a person’s own motivation and commitment to change. The overall therapeutic style of MI is guiding you to change goals you are wanting to achieve within your life. It is a normal human experience to be ambivalent about change and shows you are one step closer to your goal. Using Motivational Interviewing therapeutically will help you explore your own reasons for changing in a safe environment.

Functional Medicine practitioners use holistic approaches to look “upstream” to consider the complex interactions in your history, physiology, and lifestyle that can lead to illness. The unique genetic makeup is considered, along with both internal (mind, body and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect total functioning.

I will look at ways to understand how negative life experiences have shaped your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In trauma therapy, I look at loss of safety, inability to manage emotions, overwhelming losses, and experiences that have made you feel disconnected. Therapy will provide a validating, non-judgmental, authentic, and supportive place for you to navigate challenges you are experiencing.