Ara James, M.Ed. LMHC

Like many trauma therapists, I found my way to this work through my own lived experience as a survivor. I know what it's like to be scared to face the shadows, and the vulnerability, time, and investment it takes to commit to your own healing. Over years of working alongside fellow travelers who've overcome unimaginable things, I've come to the belief that the brightest, most authentic people have embraced both the shadows and the light. They’ve chosen the gritty path of hope and transformed into their unique, resonant self. If you're carrying shame, challenges in your relationships, or loss that's hard to name, I understand, and I'm here to help. I work with people who struggle to set boundaries, put their own needs first, or who've spent a lifetime trying to please others just to survive. Trauma has a way of keeping us in survival mode, but there is a path that leads to thriving. Trauma lives in the body as much as the mind, so I don't just talk with you. I use neurological and somatic tools to get to the root of what's going on, trusting that your body and mind already know how to heal, given the right environment. I've seen real transformation happen when the talking brain steps back and the body's own wisdom takes the wheel. I'm trained in EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems, and draw on all of them depending on what you need, always moving at the speed of trust. I specialize in working with sexual assault, religious and spiritual trauma, Complex PTSD, co-parenting and post-separation abuse, adult ADHD, and LGBTQIA+ clients.