Whole Me Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Healing & Growth For ADHD & Trauma
Traditional "talk therapy" often focuses solely on the mind. However, for children and young adults navigating ADHD and the echoes of trauma, emotions are often felt deeply in the body and soul before they can be put into words.
The Whole Me approach bridges this gap by integrating creative expression with somatic (body-based) tools. We don't just talk about the "erupting volcano" or the 'wild horse' of emotion; we learn the practical skills to befriend it.
My Therapeutic Pillars
Mind/Creative Expression Tools: When Words Are Not Enough
- Art Therapy-when big feelings are too complex for language, art provides a safe bridge. Through drawing, painting, and sculpting, we externalize internal struggles, making them tangible and manageable. The art making process reduces the pressure to "explain" and allows for a deeper exploration of the subconscious.
- Play Therapy-children (and many adults) process experiences through play rather than language. Play Therapy provides a developmentally appropriate, non-threatening way to explore emotions, relationships, and nervous system responses — especially when words feel inaccessible or overwhelming. Using creative play, symbolic expression, and relational safety to help children (and the adult) process experiences, build regulation skills, and develop a stronger sense of agency and confidence.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): Trauma and ADHD often create strong inner “parts” that take on protective roles — such as perfectionism, shutdown, hypervigilance, or emotional intensity. Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps us understand these parts not as problems to eliminate, but as adaptive responses that once helped us survive. We work to gently identify and build relationships with inner parts, reducing inner conflict, and strengthening the calm, compassionate core of the Self. This work supports emotional regulation, self-trust, and healing without forcing change.
Body/Somatic Tools: Calming the Storm
Trauma and ADHD often keep the nervous system in a state of "high alert." I teach simple, physical techniques that children and young adults can use anywhere to return to a state of calm.
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Breathwork: Guided exercises to regulate heart rate and signal safety to the brain.
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EFT Tapping: A gentle technique involving tapping on specific points of the body to release emotional tension and "stuck" energy.
Spiritual Tools: Music/Sounds
- Music (based on client's heritage) or Sounds: Music from one’s ancestral land or soothing music in general can be a powerful tool for healing. For children and young adults with ADHD or trauma, these sounds and rhythms connect them to cultural roots, calm the nervous system, and support emotional regulation. By engaging the mind, body, and spirit, ancestral music can foster resilience, restore a sense of identity, and create a deeper sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Coaching: ADHD & Neuro-Trauma
- Practical strategies: We move beyond "fixing behavior" and instead focus on understanding how your (or your child's) unique brain works. Building practical strategies for executive functioning, memory, and emotional regulation that honor your neurodiversity rather than fighting against it.
Why "Whole Me"?
Most therapeutic models address symptoms in isolation. Whole Me Therapy looks at the entire ecosystem of the individual:
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Safety First: Creating a sensory-friendly environment where the nervous system can relax.
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Expression: Finding the right medium (Art, Tapping, or Movement) for the individual.
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Integration: Taking these tools out of the therapy room and into the home and school environment.
Is this right for me (or my child)?
This approach is particularly effective for young people who:
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Identify as neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism).
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Have experienced medical or situational trauma.
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Experience intense emotional dysregulation or "outbursts" daily or that impacts relationships, schoolwork or career.
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Shut down or become non-verbal when stressed.