So many of us are sitting with clients who carry racism in their bodies. There's the client who stopped sleeping after the raids started in her neighborhood. There's the one who smiles through every meeting at work and then comes to session unable to say why he's so tired. Or like my neighbor's compadre, the one who is undocumented and is no longer able to do meet ups for pizza in the neighborhood -- for fear that he might get deported. Most of our training never gave us language for this,...
17 days ago • 2 min read
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I hope that you're tending to your mental health in the best way. I've been tending to my mental health by getting massages! May has been busy with events, talks, and project deadlines for me. Which means that I've been on the computer A LOT. I have so much tension in my neck and shoulders... and even in my calves and thighs. Pretty much everywhere. Yesterday I had my 3rd weekly massage and many parts of it were painful and other parts totally...
5 months ago • 5 min read
EMDR INTENSIVES EMDR WORKSHEETS YOUTUBE BLOG Hi. Hola! I'm hoping that you're enjoying your week so far. I know for many of us and our clients, the news of the Cesar Chavez assaults on girls and women has been extremely triggering. This month's EMDR insight is about nurturing that inner child who is triggered. EMDR Insight of the month: Nurturing that wounded inner child with EMDR: Even if you're not a child therapist, as an EMDR trauma therapist, you will be working with inner wounded...
7 months ago • 3 min read
This is likely the last email of 2025 I send to you all before going on vacation in mid December. I have so many updates for you all. 📣 I am happy to announce that your girl is an EMDRIA APPROVED CONSULTANT NOW! 🎉 While getting EMDR certified took me 5 years (Yes - 5 years!), becoming an approved consultant took me about 1.5 years because I locked in and I really wanted my clinic consultees' approved consultant hours to count toward their certification hours, as this would help them save...
11 months ago • 4 min read
Fall is slipping past us so quickly! How is Thanksgiving next week? I don't know about you, but this time of year I hold many complex emotions. While I love the time off and spending time with family eating Salvadoran Turkey or Panes con pollo, I also hold deep pain for the genocide of our native population. Dr. Eduardo Duran talks about this deep pain among Natives as the "soul wound." And I feel that resonate so deeply, especially these days with the violent and traumatic detainment of...
11 months ago • 3 min read
EMDR INTENSIVES EMDR WORKSHEETS YOUTUBE BLOG Hi. Hola Colegas! I hope you've all been enjoying summer as much as possible -- after all, you being able to access joy during stressful times is where it's at. Personally, I took a 2-week staycation that was full of sleeping in, going to the movies during the week, testing out new recipes and a return to running after a 7 yr hiatus. Here are some lessons learned from the last 5 runs I've had in the last two weeks, that are applicable to starting...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read
EMDR INTENSIVES EMDR WORKSHEETS YOUTUBE BLOG Hi. Hola Colegas! I sincerely hope you all as trauma therapists are nourishing yourself during these times of uncertainty and stress. This is the official EMDR with Sofia Newsletter. I'm hoping to send out monthly updates to my EMDR listserv about upcoming services, opportunities, and resources to share. Updates: I'm super close to submitting my documentation for approved EMDR consultant. I'm shooting for the end of this year. I've been a...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read
I hope everyone is doing well and recovering from the massive SoCal heatwave of the past few weeks. I'm also hoping that everyone and their communities are safe from the various wild fires that have been raging. In Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, the Line and Bridge fires affected hundreds of acres. My family home in the San Bernardino county was very close to the line fire and when I tell you that my nervous system was on fire too, I'm not even joking the least bit. I'm still...
about 2 years ago • 3 min read