 |
 
Who I am:
I grew up in post-war Germany and moved to the US in my mid-twenties. The
exposure to two cultures has given me an appreciation for diversity, its riches
and challenges. Because I was affected by the immense destructiveness of war
just prior to my birth, I have a particular sensitivity to personal as well as
historical trauma and the deep fear, pain, rage and/or guilt some of us carry
inside. I find personal self-exploration, interpersonal discovery, artistic
expression, a spiritual belief, and humor of utmost importance in people's
achievement of mental health. I see inner well-being as a life-long task.
|
Educational Background and Work Experience:
- High school in Germany
- 1983 BA cum laude in Psychology from Sonoma State University, CA
- 1987 MA in Counseling from Sonoma State University
- 1990 Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling licensure
- 5 years as chemical dependency counselor and assistant director in 28-day
Chemical Dependency treatment programs
- 5 years as crisis specialist in psychiatric emergency departments of
Sonoma and Marin counties
- 15 years of private practice with individuals and couples
- Training in Integrative Body Psychotherapy
- Presentation of classes and workshops
My Philosophy:
What guides my work is the belief that all human beings strive to be loved. I
explore with clients how they are trying to get their need for love or sense of
inner well being met. Often, what prevents a constructive attempt to get these
needs filled, are old childhood patterns and wounds that need to be recognized,
acknowledged and nurtured until a person finds more constructive ways for
self-fulfillment. This journey toward self-love, albeit painful and scary at
times, is also exciting and exhilarating. It's an honor for me to be present in
the face of another human being's struggle and search for self. I function as a
mirror, witness, and coach.
Specialty Areas:
Diagnostic Specialties:
- Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency
- ACA, PTSD, Sexual Abuse
- Codependency
- Depression and Anxiety
- Grief and Gender Issues
Professional Affiliations:
- CAMFT (California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists)
- RECAMFT (Redwood Empire chapter of CAMFT)
top
Addiction:
I believe we live in a society that fosters addictions. Most of us at some time
of our lives have engaged in some addictive process or substance. Chemical
dependency, including alcoholism, tends to be the most obvious. But we can be
addicted to food, TV, the computer, gambling, sex, and an infinite number of
other things. What all addictions have in common is the pull away from
self-awareness and into unconsciousness. Since I worked for a number of years
in chemical dependency treatment centers, I have gained a tremendous respect
and love for the power of the 12 Steps. I have worked "the program" myself. I
am also aware that the 12 Steps are not for everyone. Other self-help programs
are available. Whether working the 12 Steps or another program, individual
counseling or group therapy can be helpful and in some cases a necessary
adjunct.
Codependency:
Codependency is a learned behavior. We grow up thinking that we are not allowed
to have our own feelings and processes, and that we have to help others to stay
away from their feelings and processes also. For adult children of alcoholics
and dysfunctional families, and for the partners of those afflicted with
alcoholism and chemical dependency this is familiar territory. However, most
recovering addicts and alcoholics discover that underneath their primary
addiction lurks the same dynamic, and that codependency treatment is necessary
for full recovery to take place. I provide individual psychotherapy and/or
couples counseling that may enlighten the dysfunctional dynamics and bring
newfound inner peace.
Childhood Trauma:
Childhood trauma is so pervasive that few of us go through our growing up years
unscathed. The degrees may vary, as well as whether we experienced one or a few
incidences versus ongoing trauma. The result, however, is the same: something
inside us freezes. Later on in life, this may appear as depression, anxiety,
panic disorder, posttraumatic stress, dissociation, and/or addictions. Learning
to be present in the body is a must in order to recover from childhood abuse.
As a coach, I can teach a client how to do that. In addition, I provide the
therapeutic environment in which a client may experience the benefit of having
a witness to the trauma, grieving the losses, and gaining a belief in his or
her lovability.
top
Sexual Abuse:
Among childhood trauma, incest and molest tend to be shrouded with secrecy.
This creates an extra burden on the sexual abuse survivor. A sense of shame and
of being an outcast is often more deeply ingrained than in survivors of other
types of childhood trauma. However, the road to recovery is the same as for
other childhood abuse survivors. Foremost is the need to come back into the
body. I teach grounding exercises and mindfulness training to help a client
accomplish coming back to a felt sense of the body. Then a client, with me as a
witness, can proceed with work of grieving and establishing a belief in his or
her worthiness.
Attachment Disorder:
Research over the last 30 years has established that the age at which childhood
trauma, such as physical negligence, emotional abandonment, physical or sexual
abuse happens is absolutely crucial in determining how well (or not well) a
person functions later in life. If any childhood abuse happened before age two,
the child's brain development is adversely affected and later abilities of
discernment, decision-making, and self-soothing are either not present at all
or only in rudimentary stages. The dysfunctional coping mechanism the child
develops in order to survive can be so deeply ingrained, that as a grown-up the
person may not even know that a different way of life is possible. However,
research has also shown that in many cases long-term psychotherapy can
stimulate brain development even in adults and a much more satisfying life with
genuine connections with others is possible.
Couples Counseling:
Two partners in a relationship often find themselves in a rut, a lack of
passion, or an outright dislike for certain aspects the other shows up with.
Each partner in a relationship invariably brings along his or her demons from
the past. A relationship can be a vehicle for healing, if both partners are
committed to this path and are willing to do things differently Ð even if only
slightly. I teach communication skills to help clarify what the demons are and
emotional skills to navigate them. With increasing loving attention that two
partners bestow on each other, demons can actually vanish.
top
Pre-marital Counseling:
I belief most of us wish that we would have had certain relationship skills or
would have known about certain aspects of the other at the beginning of a
romance. Pre-marital counseling can be the best gift any young couple (not
necessarily in age) can receive. If you have family members or friends who are
engaged, consider giving them the best relationship possible. Gift them with my
pre-marital counseling package of eight counseling sessions.
Please note: I answer clinical or personal questions only in the context of a scheduled appointment.
©2005-2008 Gudrun Zomerland, Chinn Street Counseling Center; all rights reserved.
|
|
|
