Trauma is the emotional and physical response to a deeply distressing experience. In contrast to everyday stressors, these experiences can often overwhelm one’s ability to cope, leaving you feeling unsafe or powerless. What is considered traumatic is highly personal to each individual, but some examples include exposure to violence, abuse, racism, and oppression.

Many people who’ve experienced trauma often struggle with uncomfortable memories, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, changes in mood, difficulty sleeping, and uncomfortable physical reactions (e.g. racing heart, difficulty breathing). Many have a hard time doing things that they used to enjoy or being around people who they love.

It is important to recognize that healing from a traumatic experience is possible. With the right support from a trained trauma therapist you can regain your sense of safety, trust, and power in this world.

Grief is the natural emotional, physical, and spiritual response to loss. Although natural, it can be deeply painful and life disrupting. It’s often hard to imagine how to live life without your loved one in this world. For many people, the thought of healing and moving forward with life is often fraught with guilt. Dr. Torres is a trained and compassionate therapist who can help you rebuild your life while honoring your loved one and respecting the lasting connection you have with them. You will learn evidence-based skills for managing difficult memories, intrusive images, painful emotions, and uncomfortable physical sensations. You will learn how to respond to difficult questions (i.e. “Are you married?” “Do you have any children?”) and prepare for difficult days (i.e. funeral, anniversaries, holidays). Therapy is tailored to your specific loss, culture, and spiritual beliefs.

Anxiety is a natural response to stress that can present emotionally and physically. It’s normal when it shows up in the context of things that are very important to us, like job interviews or presentations. But when anxiety becomes intense or persistent, it can begin to interfere with daily life. It may lead to overthinking, constant worry, irritability or fears. For others it might show up physically, like difficulty breathing, racing heart, muscle tension, etc. Dr. Torres has specialized expertise in anxiety treatment. She can help you gain a better understanding of your anxiety and develop skills so that it doesn’t interfere with your goals and the things that are important to you.

Are you having difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restful sleep? Insomnia can leave you feeling exhausted, irritable, or unfocused during the day. While occasional sleep difficulties are common, chronic insomnia can affect your overall health and well-being. Dr. Torres uses gold-standard evidence-based treatments for insomnia to help you achieve your sleep-related goals.

Burnout is the experience of becoming emotionally, mentally, or physically overwhelmed with work or school. It can interfere with performance, motivation, and satisfaction. If you are experiencing burnout, you might feel that your life lacks balance. You may struggle to be fully present in your relationships and personal life. You might feel overworked and unsure about how your work aligns with you overall goals or values. Therapy can help you develop a better understanding of your values (both professional and personal), restore balance in your life, overcome perfectionism and imposter syndrome, and recover from burnout.

Although change is a part of life, it’s not always easy. Big life transitions can result in stress, uncertainty, and emotional pain. Some common life transitions that might prompt someone to seek therapy are breakups, divorce, migration, starting a new job, etc. In therapy, we’ll work together to help you adapt to change, find meaning in your experiences, and strengthen your ability to move forward with confidence and clarity.