EASTSIDE AFFIRMATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY
ABOUT THE PRACTICE
Eastside Affirmative Psychotherapy is a trauma-focused, LGBTQ-affirmative psychotherapy practice, owned and operated by Ian Jensen (he/him), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #117013.
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My goal is to provide a nurturing, non-judgmental space for clients to create a relationship with themselves. Sometimes, we are so used to interacting with people in the world, we neglect to relate with the Self. And in doing so, ignore our insight, intuition, and bodily sensations. These tools, after all, are gifts from the psyche, which can be used to navigate challenging situations and relationships. Paradoxically, it is when we are in sync with the Self that we can ultimately heal ruptured relationships with others, and arrest self-destructive patterns of behavior.
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I am passionate about helping people on the LGBTQ+ continuum achieve a wholeness and personhood not mirrored by a cis/heteronormative society. Areas of work include: trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, coming out, gender identity, HIV/AIDS, sexual compulsivity, alcoholism and addiction recovery, codependency, and intersections of cultural/racial/ethnic identity.
MY APPROACH
I believe therapy is meant to be experimental and experiential. A relationship with a therapist can provide invaluable insight regarding interpersonal dynamics. Sometimes, these insights can be painful, but I'm here to guide you through them. A spirit of collaboration, empathy, directness, and sense of humor sum up the qualities of my style as a therapist.
INTENSIVE SHORT-TERM DYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY (ISTDP)
Rooted in traditional psychoanalysis, ISTDP aims to assist clients to fully experience their complex, unconscious emotions with the therapist. When experiencing these emotions, anxiety rises and our defenses (protective mechanisms) mobilize in order to suppress the discomfort.
However, when defenses are overused, they manifest as mental health conditions like chronic depression, somatic (bodily) symptoms, anxiety disorders, as well as difficulty in relationships and resistance against emotional closeness. Learning how to recognize defenses and regulate anxiety enables unconscious feelings to emerge, thereby relieving problematic symptoms.
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In ISTDP, the therapist is not a neutral observer nor "blank slate," but rather an active agent of change focused on the here and now experience of emotions, anxiety, and bodily sensations.
Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessinG (AF-EMDR)
EMDR is a well-researched and clinically-proven method for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using bilateral stimulation, EMDR processes and releases disturbing memories, troubling emotions, unpleasant body sensations, and maladaptive thoughts about ourselves and the world.
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AF-EMDR repairs relational attachments (bonds with loved ones) by focusing on early childhood trauma and providing clients with the tools they need in order to heal.
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I am a Certified AF-EMDR therapist and participate in ongoing training and consultation with The Parnell Institute.
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Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a somatic psychotherapy which uses "spots" in the client's field of vision which hold unprocessed traumatic experiences. Developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003, Brainspotting emphasizes present, mindful awareness of emotions and bodily sensations during the session.
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The therapist uses a pointed with a fixed point on the end, or "wand," for the client's focus, as well as attunement to their emotional states in order to facilitate deep brain processing.
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I received my Level 1 training in Brainspotting with Dr. Pie Frey.
TRAUMA RESILIENCY MODEL (TRM)
People accumulate trauma in many ways. For some, it is a single incident such as a car accident or assault. For others, it happens over a long period of time beginning in childhood when our caregivers were abusive, or just simply not attuned to our needs.
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As a result, our nervous system responses of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn remain in overdrive, activated by internal and external cues. These responses may show up as anxiety, depression, racing thoughts, or difficulty connecting with others.
TRM is a somatic, skills-based treatment which aims to move clients into their resilient zone (that feeling of being your best self).
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I received my Level 1 & 2 training in TRM at The Trauma Resource Institute.