Helping clients create healthier and more authentic lives.
Many people come to therapy because of stress, relationship difficulties, feelings of sadness and loneliness, or because some aspect of their life is not going the way they had hoped. It’s common for people to seek out therapy for general support or to talk to an unbiased, caring listener.
Heidi Posson, LPC, LPCC
My clients include men, women, and adolescents who are struggling with relationships, navigating difficult life transitions, abuse, trauma, or substance abuse. Initially, many of my clients seek therapy expressing difficulties connecting with others, or they feel uncomfortable or unsatisfied in relationships. Others state they frequently feel sad or angry; still more express a general sense of feeling “stuck.” Working with these clients as they transform from a place of pain to a satisfying and fulfilling life is my passion. I understand coming to therapy can be a difficult experience but I know it can be deeply rewarding.
My approach to therapy is based on an understanding that throughout life we develop patterns of behaviors that can initially be quite helpful but over time or changing circumstances can undermine one’s quality of life and create patterns that diminish our abilities to connect. Examining these patterns in therapy often provides insights about current or past experiences, which can uncover and explain fears, beliefs, and behaviors. Refining or changing these behaviors and beliefs empowers my clients to create more authentic lives that meet their professional, social, and relationship goals.
As Trauma Informed Therapist, my work is rooted in the belief that we all naturally work towards overall health and maturation. However, neglect, abuse, and traumatic events can stymie that drive and create patterns that may have kept you safe but work against you in with relationships at home, work, and socially. I work with my clients to confront the obstacles that keep them from experiencing an enriched and fulfilling life. This approach is strength based and works to help men and women feel empowered, as well as develop and refine healthy coping skills.
My practice draws heavily from Attachment theory, while using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help process traumatic memories by safely connecting a client to painful memories, thoughts, images, body sensations, and beliefs. I also use Cognitive Behavioral techniques to strengthen coping strategies and increase confidence. I completed the CBT core curriculum at the Beck Institute in Philadelphia. Founded by father of CBT, Dr. Aaron Beck. I believe an empathetic, nonjudgmental relationship is necessary to help clients freely explore issues, identify self-defeating patterns, and make sustainable changes.
Additionally, I have found that substance abuse is frequently a maladaptive coping behavior enacted to minimize the pain of past traumas. I work with these clients to move past the desire to numb their feelings of hopelessness and develop strategies for recovery. Frequently, this means treating the addiction along with co-existing conditions such as depression, interpersonal trauma, physical or sexual abuse, or PTSD.
