Trauma and EMDR therapy in California
You may understand why you feel the way you do—and still find that old fears, beliefs, relationship patterns, or emotional reactions are remarkably difficult to change.
I provide virtual therapy for adults and adolescents throughout California, specializing in trauma, EMDR, Havening Techniques®, anxiety, grief, attachment, and relationship difficulties.
Sometimes what happened is clearly recognizable as trauma. Other times, it comes from experiences that were quieter but no less significant: emotional neglect, difficult family relationships, rejection, bullying, loss, or growing up without the safety, acceptance, or care you needed.
I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified EMDR Therapist, and Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner with more than a decade of experience using EMDR and other trauma-focused approaches.
When understanding isn’t enough
Insight matters. Understanding why you feel or respond the way you do can be incredibly valuable.
You can know that you weren't responsible for what happened and still feel ashamed. You can know there's nothing wrong with you and still feel as though there is. You can know that you're safe now while some part of you remains braced for something to go wrong. You can understand exactly where a relationship pattern came from and find yourself repeating it anyway.
My approach is warm, active, and collaborative. I won't sit silently while you do all of the work. I ask thoughtful questions, offer honest reflections, help you notice patterns and connections, and bring my experience to our work while respecting that you are the expert on your own life.
I want therapy to be a place where you feel deeply understood, and where things that have felt stuck can begin to change.
My approach to EMDR and trauma therapy
I specialize in trauma therapy using EMDR, Havening Techniques®, and other approaches that address the emotional and physiological effects of trauma.
Our work might involve many different experiences. Some are readily recognizable as traumatic, such as abuse, sexual trauma, frightening events, or significant losses. Others are developmental and relational experiences that gradually shaped what you came to believe about yourself and your place in the world.
Experiences like these can lead to beliefs like There’s something wrong with me. I’m not good enough. I’m unlovable. I can’t trust anyone. I’m not safe. They can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and difficulty feeling secure in relationships.
Those beliefs can feel like facts rather than beliefs you developed through difficult experiences. One of the things I value most about trauma therapy is helping those old beliefs begin to change.
The method matters, but so does the relationship
Meaningful therapy comes from combining effective approaches with a genuine, compassionate therapeutic relationship. There’s room in our work for safety, trust, curiosity, humor, and honesty.
My background in Cultural Anthropology taught me to question assumptions about what we consider “normal” and to approach each person with curiosity about the families, cultures, identities, relationships, and circumstances that have shaped them.
Why I do this work
My own experiences with therapy, particularly EMDR, Havening, and attachment-focused work, shaped my understanding of what good therapy can make possible.
I don’t think healing means becoming someone different. I believe it means having greater freedom to be who you are, without old experiences defining how you feel about yourself, your relationships, and your place in the world.
Interested in working together?
If something you've read here feels familiar, the best way to see whether we might work well together is to talk. I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation where we can discuss what you're looking for, what has and hasn't helped before, and whether I may be a good fit for you.
Alisa Vincent, LMFT
California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #100343
Certified EMDR Therapist
Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner
M.A., Counseling Psychology – The Wright Institute
B.A., Cultural Anthropology – UC Berkeley