What to Expect in Your First EMDR Session?
Starting EMDR can bring up a lot of questions, especially if past therapy only scratched the surface of what still feels stuck. I offer online EMDR therapy for adults across Washington, including Seattle, Tacoma, and surrounding communities, helping people work through the lasting effects of childhood trauma, relationship pain, addiction, and complex PTSD. My approach […]
Ketamine Therapy: What It Is, How It Works and Side Effects
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can offer a different path when depression, trauma, anxiety, or stuck patterns have not shifted through traditional approaches. In my online Washington therapy practice at Awakenings Counseling, I work with adults exploring deeper healing, including trauma recovery and psychedelic integration. This guide shares how ketamine therapy works what to expect medically emotionally and […]
What Are Parts in IFS Therapy?
In my IFS therapy practice at Awakenings Counseling, serving adults across Washington, I see parts as inner protective systems shaped by trauma, relationships, and survival. A part of me as a therapist and self-healer is drawn to helping people make sense of old patterns that keep showing up. Internal Family Systems offers a compassionate way […]
Is IFS Therapy Good for Trauma?
IFS therapy can be a meaningful approach for trauma, especially when old wounds from childhood still shape relationships, work, and daily life. In my online practice at Awakenings Counseling, serving adults across Washington, I use Internal Family Systems to help clients understand the parts of themselves that carry pain, protection, and survival strategies. As a […]
How to Find an IFS Therapist in Seattle?
I’m Cuyler Simmons, LICSW, a therapist at Awakenings Counseling. I work with adults across Seattle, King County, Pierce County, and throughout Washington through online sessions. Many people who reach out to me have already tried therapy and still feel old trauma patterns showing up in relationships, work, and everyday life. Internal Family Systems, or IFS, […]
IFS vs EMDR for Trauma
When it comes to real healing from trauma, a lot of folks in Washington, especially those carrying the weight of childhood or complex experiences, find themselves choosing between Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Each approach stands out, and the buzz around which one “works best” is real. There’s […]
CBT vs EMDR for Trauma
If you’ve gone through trauma, figuring out the right therapy can be a game-changer. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) come up the most when people talk about cutting-edge ways to heal from past pain. These two therapies take very different routes to help you find relief from memories and […]
Unraveling Trauma’s Imprint: How Your Brain Stores Difficult Experiences
Trauma imprints itself on the brain, reshaping the pathways that store and recall memory. Instead of being filed away as a past event, distressing experiences get held in the survival-focused regions, which is why traumatic memories often resurface fragmented and overwhelming. As a trauma therapist serving residents of King County and Pierce County through Awakenings […]
Meet Your Parts: A Gentle Introduction to Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)
I know what it feels like when different parts of you seem to be pulling in opposite directions. As a trauma therapist, I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) because it offers a compassionate way to understand those parts, connect with your core Self, and begin the deeper healing work. In this guide, I’ll walk you […]
Navigating the Silence: Why Adult Children Choose to Cut Ties with Parents
Family estrangement happens when adult children step away from their parents to protect their emotional well-being. The decision often comes after years of trying, through conversations, boundaries, or even therapy, only to find that the relationship continues to cause pain. The result is a silence that leaves both sides struggling with grief, confusion, and a […]