Trauma and PTSD Therapists in San Diego, CA

I believe that each person is born unique and important to this earth. Behavior is adaptive and as such can be understood in the context of experience. I assist with helping others understand patterns of behavior that may contribute to one's unhappiness. I work with marital and relational difficulties to find ways of communicating and honoring differences. I teach about positive communication and assist with developing skills that lead to feeling heard and understood. I assist parents to successfully teach their children to accept and follow direction with the use of behavioral programs best suited to meet the individual need.

Do you feel stuck or like your life is out of balance? Do you put the needs of your family and friends first, sacrificing your own needs and desires in the process? I help people shift unwanted patterns to create a more balanced and fulfilling life. Let me help you access your own inner wisdom to overcome life's challenges using a holistic approach. I use Energy Psychology and Energy Medicine techniques combined with traditional therapy to treat depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss.

My goal is to assist you in working through issues that negatively affect you in your daily life. I have experience working with relationship and family issues, sexual addiction, trauma, depression, anxiety, substance abuse/addiction, lack of motivation, and suicidal thoughts. I work with teens and adults in individual, couples, family, and groups.

Welcome! My client’s often tell me that I am genuine, kind and put them at ease, while also challenging them at the times when they need to be pushed. I strike a balance between therapy always feeling safe and comfortable, but also a place where you can be pushed to re-evaluate you needs and actions. I specialize in working with the LGBTQIA+ community, as I am a part of this community and this is a passion of mine. The primary focus of my practice is trauma therapy, neurodiversity (ADHD, Autism), and the LGBTQIA+ community. I am also an affirming provider of all relationship configurations (polyamory, ENM, kink, BDSM).

I have been helping men, women, and teens work through a variety of mental health concerns for the last 14 years, with a specialized focus in working with trauma and addictions. Creating space for curiosity and compassion towards parts of ourselves that have been helping us cope, I love the opportunity to help people pay attention to their experience in new ways and find freedom from the things that have kept them feeling stuck.

Looking for a queer affirming therapist who reflects your identity and provides a safe space to heal? Struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, or PTSD? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Life is too short to be held back by relationships that no longer serve us, trauma that continues to impact our daily lives, and anxious thinking that preoccupies us day after day. My goal is to work with you to identify and incorporate coping skills that will lend to a more joyful and fulfilling life.

Are you burnt out, feeling loss, struggling after an awful event? Do you find yourself feeling hopeless, in relationships that don't suit you, having a difficult time doing things that you would normally do effortlessly? This and more is what I help my clients navigate. If you want someone to listen, guide and break down barriers to your own well being, then you've come to the right place. You've already started on a courageous journey of finding help and I want to get you were you're going.

Do you feel constrained by the demands of your problem? Is it affecting your relationships, your profession, or your overall satisfaction with life? You hold the power to bring the change you seek. I work collaboratively with individuals, couples, and families on a wide variety of issues, including relationship issues, anxiety, depression, PTSD, parenting, academic/work-related stress, identity development, acculturation, couple and family dynamics.

I work with individuals who have experienced traumatic events which they may need help overcoming. During my postdoctoral fellowship, I treated active military diagnosed with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse by conducting both individual and group therapy. Working with active military, I learned how to gain the individual's trust and confidence to let me into their lives, providing a nonjudgmental space to process life's events. My research has concentrated on men's issues. My doctoral dissertation focused on professional boxers and how they adjusted to retirement once the fame and fortune was gone.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering therapy to adults, children, adolescents, and families. I have worked extensively with issues related to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, trauma, and abuse (physical abuse,sexual abuse, neglect, child endangerment, and domestic violence). I believe that healing, growth, and lasting change can occur within the safety of a therapeutic relationship. I provide a safe, confidential, and supportive environment in which issues can be explored.

I truly believe we all have the resources within us to grow and heal. However, there are times we become "stuck" in life and overcome with fear or other factors. I am passionate in working with children and adults in helping them recognize deeper/underlying issues or past traumatic experiences that can impair a person's function each day in various ways. I specialize in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and complex trauma (Ie physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, DV, life adjustments, grief/loss). I am trained in EMDR, a research-based treatment that facilitates the brain's own capacity to heal.

Life can be challenging enough when we don't get in our own way. As it turns out, many of us never learned how to identify and manage our emotions, relate to our worries and self-judgments with compassion, or navigate relationships from a lens that considers how our past experiences might influence how we connect with others today. If you are seeking another way to live, with less suffering and more peace, you are in the right place.

My approach in treatment is to help uncover, resource, release, and heal the wounds that are interfering in the client's present experiences. I specialize in working with those suffering from the aftermath of early childhood and developmental trauma, present relationship trauma, and those suffering with blocks to secure connection in their relationships. Stylistically, I am open, honest, informative, and aim to always offer my clients the warmth and safety necessary to lean into our relationship as a safe haven as we embark on their healing journey.

My counseling approach is based on resilience, and I strive to help people identify their own personal power. I believe that we have everything we need inside of us to rise above personal challenges and to reach our goals. I build authentic and honest relationships with my clients by creating a space that offers candor, humor, and a normalizing approach to challenges. My approach is eclectic, and I will work with you to support and understand your unique needs in a direct yet empathetic way.

I believe therapy is a collaborative process between the client and myself. My hope is to create a safe environment to explore your emotions and issues that brought you to counseling. My style is both direct and nurturing. I specialize working with adolescents and adults individually, as couples or with a family. I use an eclectic approach to best support long-term well being in your daily life.

Life is stressful; and women experience this in unique ways. Trauma, loss, early childhood experiences, recurrent behaviors, career stress, and body and life-cycle changes can result in difficulties with a woman's self-esteem, relationships, mood, sexuality, spirituality, and health. Similarly, couples can develop patterns of relating from early experiences which result in conflict, loneliness and despair. Therapy provides deeper insight into our needs, choices, beliefs, behaviors, and emotions. Dr. heinzelmann focuses on offering the tools needed to move toward emotional and spiritual wholeness.

Everyone has a unique story. Therapy is a safe place to come and deeply explore that story. We all get stuck from time to time in patterns of unhealthy thinking, behaving, and relating, and sometimes we need help changing those patterns. Therapy works in such a way that you gain insight into areas of your life and leave feeling empowered. I offer support, validation, empathy, and a safe and respectful place to share dreams, hopes, fears, and triumphs. I help clients accurately assess their challenges and identify ways they can change, capitalizing on the strengths they already have and encouraging them to build new ones.

The first step on the path to healing can be the hardest. Often times, we feel fragile, whether it be from past trauma, debilitating depression, anxiety, conflictual relationships, and the overall stresses attributed to life. Sometimes we feel surrounded by people who look but do not see us, hear but do not listen or understand which can lead you to feel isolated, disconnected, and misunderstood. Therapy is a space to navigate this desolate plane, a place to help you achieve a more fruitful and fulfilling connection with yourself and others. I have experience working with couples, individuals and families.

Waitlist for Nov.2023-Life is a journey full of change, and sometimes with uncertainty. During life hardships, we may want to talk to someone, get a helping hand, take a break and rest our soul to prepare us for the growth. I provide Bilingual English/Mandarin-Chinese therapy to adults and family who need a teammate. I specialize in treating trauma, mood-related disorder, cultural and identity difficulties, adjustment in life transitions, and chronic stress. I help individuals and families work through challenges and adversities, gain courage, understanding of self, and skills to grow a meaningful, purposeful life.