Heal. Grow. Thrive.
A Different Type of Therapy.
I believe human beings have a natural inclination to heal. My job is to facilitate your process and provide tools along the way. I utilize a range of modalities including: Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Yoga, and Mindfulness. I am also a certified yoga instructor and believe strongly in the mind-body connection. I offer holistic and empirically supported interventions based on your unique goals.
Your Therapy:
Clients find themselves in therapy for various reasons. Some are looking for symptom relief while others are looking to achieve personal goals that feel out of their reach. Sometimes clients feel as though they are victim to repeating behaviors that no longer serve them.
Therapy helps you learn tools to manage strong emotions, utilize strengths, and evolve.
I offer virtual therapy sessions so you can meet in the privacy of your own home.
Areas of Expertise Include:
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Chronic Illness
Chronic Pain/ Pain Management
Medical PTSD
Relationship Difficulties
Body Image Issues
Trauma Relief:
We now know the profound ways trauma can affect one’s brain, nervous system, relationships, self-esteem, and peace of mind. Trauma can stem from a single event or multiple occurrences that chip away at the soul. While some traumas fall under the diagnosis: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), many do not. These presentations equally deserve our full clinical attention.
Many individuals are afraid to open up past wounds for fear they will be too much to bear. I deeply respect this hesitation and work slowly and at your own pace. Using empirically-supported techniques such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and Nervous System Regulation tools (EFT), I help you work to be free from the sequelae of trauma.
Chronic pain and chronic illness can also lead one to enter a hypervigilant state. This state is exacerbated by frequent and often invasive medical treatments. I offer comprehensive support for what I term “Medical PTSD”. I couple this with dietary support that enhances systemic healing.
My goal is to help you reach a state of ease that allows your body to heal. I also seek to address root causes so you can get back to living and experiencing joy.
I am proud to incorporate EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and Trauma Based Yoga for trauma healing. I strive to foster safety and trust from our first session together. We will work at your own pace and collaborate every step of the way.
Gut-Brain Health
The relationship between diet and mood is substantial. We see proof of this in research concerning the gut-brain axis (GBA), which consists of bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ENS is our “second brain”. It consists of approximately 100 million nerves found in the lining of the gut. The ENS communicates with our brain constantly.
Inflammation has been linked to many medical and mental health diagnoses including: Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Alzheimer’s Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and Parkinson’s Disease. As a psychologist, I would be remiss to not include a holistic approach to mood that includes food as a central tool in healing.
“Dr. Pernod is an incisive listener. Her great strength in my therapy was meeting me where I was. She brought her generous, open, and warm heart to the most intimate shames and fears that I shared. This approach felt customized to my needs.”
—F.B.
