Post-Traumatic Stress
Nightmares and Flashbacks
Anxiety & Hypervigilance
Low Self-Esteem/Shame
Depression & Isolation
Difficulty Trusting Others
Helping You Reclaim Your Wholeness
Find Safety Within
Create a gentle, internal space where you are in control of your own healing.
Release Shame & Blame
Unburden the heavy feelings of shame that were never yours to carry.
Reconnect with Your Body
Learn to listen to your body and feel at home in it again, at your own pace.
Reclaim Your Voice & Power
Heal the parts of you that were silenced, so you can live from a place of strength and choice.
Surviving sexual violence is a profound experience that can leave deep and complex wounds. The aftermath can feel isolating, and the parts of you that experienced the trauma often take on burdens of shame, fear, and mistrust to protect you. As a Certified IFS Therapist, my first priority is creating a space where you feel completely safe. We will not force any part of you to share more than it is ready to. Instead, we will gently and respectfully get to know the protectors who have worked so hard to keep you going. The goal is to heal these burdens with compassion, allowing your core self to lead your life with courage and wholeness.
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 as the work of protective parts of you trying their best to keep you safe after an overwhelming experience.
Got questions about how I help you heal? Find all the answers here.
Do I have to talk about the details of what happened? I'm afraid to relive it.
No. You are in control of what you share. Our focus is on healing the impact the trauma has on you today, the feelings, beliefs, and physical sensations. We can heal the wounded parts of you without you having to describe explicit details.
I feel so much shame, like it was my fault. How can therapy help?
Shame is one of the heaviest burdens survivors carry, but it does not belong to you. In therapy, we work to separate your true self from this feeling. We will help the part of you holding shame to release it, so you can see the truth of your innocence.
I feel disconnected from my body. Is that normal?
Yes, it’s an incredibly common and intelligent protective response to an unsafe experience. Therapy can help you gently and safely reconnect with your body at a pace that feels right for you, helping you to feel more present and at home within yourself again.
How can I ever trust anyone again?
This is a valid and important question. Healing involves helping the protective parts of you that are (rightfully) mistrusting to feel safe. The goal isn’t blind trust, but to restore your innate ability to connect with others from a place of discernment and confidence.
What does 'healing' from this look like?
Healing is not forgetting. It means memories and feelings no longer rule your life. It looks like feeling secure, trusting yourself, saying no and acting upon it, and owning the belief in your intrinsic worth. It is mostly about taking back your right to a full and joyous life.
An Approach Built on
Safety & Respect
Honor Your Protectors
I help you understand that responses like numbness or hypervigilance are parts of you trying to keep you safe.
Heal from Your Core Self
Using IFS, I guide you to access your calm, compassionate self, which has the power to heal your most wounded inner parts.
You Are in Control
This is a collaborative process where your safety, boundaries, and pace are respected with competence and unwavering care.
Meet Your Compassionate Therapist
Dr Arlene Brewster
Licensed Certified ISF Therapist
Stories of Reclaiming a Life
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.
For decades, I blamed myself. Dr. Brewster helped me see that the young part of me that was holding all that shame was just a child who needed comfort, not judgment. Learning to separate myself from that feeling has been the most liberating experience of my life.
Anonymous
Client
I lived with a constant feeling of dread and felt like a stranger in my own skin. Dr. Brewster was so client. She never pushed. She helped me learn to listen to my body and to the parts of me that were terrified. I’m finally starting to feel safe and present in my own life.
E. M.
Client
The idea of intimacy was terrifying. Dr. Brewster helped me understand the protective parts that would shut me down to avoid getting hurt again. By building trust with those parts first, I was eventually able to build a healthy, loving relationship with my partner, something I never thought possible.
Anonymous
Client
I always felt like I had to be strong and silent to survive. Therapy with Dr. Brewster gave my voice back to me. I learned that my anger was a protector and that my vulnerability was a strength. I no longer feel like a victim; I feel like the author of my own story.
J. R.
Client
Ready To Heal & Move from Survival to Wholeness?
You don’t have to face this pain alone. It’s possible to move from survival to wholeness. Let’s
create a safe space where healing, strength, and hope can take root..