Anxiety & Depression in Childhood
Negative Self-Image
Struggles with Trust & Attachment
Emotional Regulation Issues
Risk of Substance Abuse
Physical Health Problems
Helping You Break Free & Live Fully
Understand Your Patterns
Gain clarity on how past experiences are shaping your present-day reactions and relationships.
Cultivate True Self-Worth
Heal the belief that you are flawed and build a foundation of deep, unshakable self-compassion.
Build Secure Relationships
Break free from cycles of mistrust or anxiety to create the healthy, loving connections you deserve.
Feel Present and Whole
Release the old burdens you carry so you can engage with your life with more joy.
The effects of childhood trauma cut deep yet remain largely hidden. Early experiences build the way we recognize ourselves. Naturally, children being egocentric will most likely conclude that when bad things happen, it is because they are bad. This sense of being flawed persists into adulthood, often unconsciously. As a Certified IFS Therapist, I will help you understand how these early conclusions created certain protective parts of you that now become self-criticism, relationship anxiety, emptiness, etc. This work is not about blaming the past. This is about liberating you into awareness of yourself as whole, worthy, and resilient.
Frequently Asked Questions
My approach to therapy is grounded in a compassionate and respectful perspective called Internal Family Systems (IFS). I don’t believe that you are sick or broken. Instead, I see the challenges you face in adulthood as the logical result of parts of you trying to protect you from wounds that happened long ago.
Got questions about how I help you heal these lasting impacts? Find all the answers here.
Why do I keep choosing the wrong partners or repeating the same mistakes?
These patterns are not your fault. They are often unconscious attempts by a younger part of you to heal an old wound or to recreate a familiar dynamic. By understanding and healing that original wound, you can free yourself to make new, healthier choices.
I feel like there's something fundamentally wrong with me. Can that change?
That feeling is the core wound of childhood trauma. It’s a belief, not a fact. Through IFS, we can connect with the young part of you that decided it was flawed and offer it the compassion and truth it needed back then, which will change how you feel about yourself today.
My childhood was fine on the surface. Why do I still struggle with these issues?
Trauma isn’t only about major events. It can also be the result of what you didn’t get, like emotional connection, validation, or a sense of safety. These subtle but chronic experiences can have a profound and lasting impact that is absolutely worth healing.
How can we change something that is so deeply ingrained in me?
We don’t try to erase these ingrained patterns. Instead, we get to know the protective parts that are holding them in place. By understanding their fears and building trust with them, they can learn new, less burdensome ways to operate, allowing for natural and lasting change.
What's the difference between this and just 'Child Trauma' therapy?
While “Child Trauma” therapy may focus on processing specific events, this work focuses on the long-term legacy of those events. We look at how your childhood experiences are impacting your adult identity, behaviors, and relationships, and work to heal you at that foundational level.
An Approach to Rewire
the Past’s Influence
Connect the Dots
I help you see the clear connection between the wounds of your past and the patterns in your present without blame.
Listen to Your Younger Parts
Using IFS, we create a safe space to hear from the parts of you still holding the beliefs and burdens from childhood.
Heal at the Root
We work collaboratively to unburden these young parts, updating their beliefs and freeing your adult self to live confidently.
Meet Your Compassionate Therapist
Dr Arlene Brewster
Licensed Certified ISF Therapist
Stories of Transformation and Freedom
Here are some heartfelt words from people who have walked this path. I hope their stories of reconnection and growth bring you comfort and inspiration for your own journey ahead.
I spent 40 years believing I was hard to love, which sabotaged every relationship I had. Dr. Brewster helped me find the little girl inside me who decided she was ‘too much.’ Learning to love and champion that part of me has completely transformed how I show up in my marriage.
Anonymous
Client
My perfectionism was a source of pride, but it was also destroying me. IFS helped me see it was a part of me desperately trying to be ‘good enough’ to avoid criticism. By healing the part’s fear, I’ve been able to find a sense of peace and self-acceptance I never knew.
Glenn G
Client
I always felt a bit hollow inside, like I was just going through the motions. Therapy has helped me understand that this part of me basically ‘checked out’ in childhood. I was reuniting with that part, and it felt like coming home to myself. I’m more alive now, more present.
Fatema S.
Client
I never understood why I had such a hard time trusting people. Dr. Brewster guided me to a young, vulnerable part that had been let down. By becoming the safe, reliable adult for that part of myself, I’ve slowly been able to build healthier, more trusting relationships in my life now.
Anonymous
Client
Ready to Heal the Echoes of the Past?
You can break free from old patterns and build a future based on your true self. Let’s explore how therapy can help.