Deep Waters Austin, PLLC

Psychotherapy for Healing, Growth & Self-Discovery Trauma-Informed | Somatic | Attachment-Based | Experiential Psychotherapy Healing is a journey of reconnecting with ourselves, understanding our experiences, and discovering new possibilities for how we want to live. At Deep Waters Austin, I offer a compassionate, collaborative, and deeply personal approach to psychotherapy. I work with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, PTSD, grief, relationship difficulties, attachment wounds, betrayal, and life transitions. Whether you are struggling with a particular challenge, repeating patterns that no longer serve you, or simply feeling disconnected from yourself, therapy can provide a space to explore, heal, and grow. My approach is grounded in the belief that we all possess an innate capacity for healing, resilience, and meaningful change. ________________________________________ What Kind of Therapy Do I Believe In? I believe in a therapy that trusts in human resilience and our innate wisdom. I believe in a therapy that looks to the past to make sense of the present and create positive change for the future. I believe my role as a therapist is to encourage, empower, bear witness, and, when helpful, make connections, educate, and guide. I believe in a therapy that is transparent, experiential, body-focused, respectful, compassionate, authentic, and engaged. I believe in a therapy that honors the wisdom of the body and our emotions. I do not believe in a therapy that reduces people to diagnoses, labels, or symptoms, or blames them for struggling to change their thoughts, emotions, or behaviors. I believe that healing and growth are always possible. And I believe that lasting change often emerges through a genuine, healing relationship with an attuned, caring, and trusted other. Above all, I believe that therapy should help us reconnect with ourselves, discover our own wisdom, and live more authentic, fulfilling lives. ________________________________________ My Therapeutic Approach My approach to therapy is integrative, relational, experiential, and somatic. This means I draw from several therapeutic models, tailoring our work to your unique experiences, needs, and goals. Sometimes people come to therapy because they recognize a particular problem. Others arrive with a sense that something isn't quite right, that old patterns keep repeating, or that they have lost touch with who they really are. Whatever brings you to therapy, I believe our work begins with curiosity, compassion, and an understanding of how your experiences have shaped you. I am trained in the following modalities: DEEP — Dynamic Enriched Experiential Psychotherapy DEEP is an experiential, emotion-focused, and attachment-based approach informed by Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and interpersonal neurobiology. Our earliest relationships shape how we experience ourselves, others, and the world. When those relationships are inconsistent, frightening, or emotionally unavailable, we may develop protective patterns that once helped us survive but now interfere with connection, emotional well-being, and our ability to feel safe. DEEP helps us explore these patterns through emotional experience and the therapeutic relationship, creating opportunities for new experiences of safety, connection, and healing. Somatic Experiencing® (SE) Somatic Experiencing is a body-oriented approach to trauma healing developed by Dr. Peter Levine. It recognizes that trauma can affect not only our thoughts and emotions but also our nervous system, physical sensations, and capacity to feel safe and regulated. Through gentle attention to bodily sensations, emotions, movement, and nervous system responses, we work toward greater regulation, resilience, and a sense of safety. As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), I incorporate this approach into my work with trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, and the physical manifestations of emotional distress. NARM — NeuroAffective Relational Model NARM is a therapeutic approach designed to address complex and developmental trauma, particularly the effects of early attachment and relational experiences. NARM explores how we adapt to childhood environments and how those adaptations can continue to influence our identity, relationships, emotional experiences, and sense of self. Rather than focusing only on what happened in the past, NARM helps us understand how early survival strategies may still be operating in the present, and how we can develop greater freedom, connection, and self-compassion. Depth Psychology Depth psychology recognizes that much of what influences our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behaviors exists outside our conscious awareness. Drawing from Jungian and other depth-oriented traditions, this approach invites exploration of dreams, patterns, beliefs, emotions, personal history, and the deeper meaning of our experiences. I believe that understanding our inner world can help us develop greater self-awareness and make more conscious choices about how we want to live. Mindfulness and Creative Approaches Mindfulness has been an important part of my personal and professional life for decades. I incorporate mindfulness, meditation, breath awareness, and other experiential practices when appropriate. My background as an artist and designer also informs my work. Creativity, imagination, metaphor, and personal expression can offer meaningful pathways toward self-discovery and healing. ________________________________________ Healing from Religious Trauma, Cults & Coercive Control One of my areas of specialization is helping individuals recover from high-control groups, cults, religious trauma, and coercive relationships. This work is deeply personal to me. Having spent 20 years in a high-control spiritual community, I understand firsthand the profound impact these experiences can have on our identity, relationships, autonomy, and sense of self. My own journey of healing and rebuilding my life ultimately became one of the inspirations for my work as a therapist. Today, I bring together that lived experience with advanced clinical training in trauma, attachment, and somatic psychotherapy. I understand that recovery involves much more than simply leaving a group. It often means rebuilding trust in ourselves, processing grief and betrayal, reconnecting with our emotions, and discovering who we are outside the influence of others. My approach is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and respect for each person's unique experience. I believe healing from coercive control is ultimately about reclaiming autonomy, restoring self-trust, and finding the freedom to live life on one's own terms. To learn more about my specialized work, educational resources, and recovery programs, visit www.ethicalhealingproject.com ________________________________________ Who Am I as a Therapist? Like many therapists, I came to this profession through my own personal healing journey. My experiences with loss, grief, betrayal, emotional and religious abuse, family dysfunction, trauma, and the search for identity have profoundly shaped both who I am and how I practice therapy. While my education and clinical training provide an essential foundation, I believe that my own experiences of healing have been among my most influential teachers. I know what it is like to feel confused, lonely, lost, and uncertain about the future. I also know that healing can be a long and sometimes difficult journey, one that requires courage, patience, compassion, and connection. I never assume that I know what another person is feeling or experiencing. Each person's story is unique, and I approach that story with curiosity, humility, and respect. But having traveled through some dark and difficult places myself, I am not afraid to sit with others in theirs. I believe that a meaningful therapeutic relationship is built on trust, honesty, mutual respect, vulnerability, and authenticity. My role is not to tell you who you should be, but to help you discover who you are, understand what has shaped you, and find your own way forward. My own healing journey has brought me to a life filled with greater happiness, meaning, connection, and purpose. It is one of my greatest privileges to accompany others as they find their way toward lives that feel more authentic and fulfilling. I am continually moved by the courage of my clients and the profound transformations that can occur when people begin to reconnect with their own strength, wisdom, and sense of self. Helping people find their way back to themselves is not simply my profession. It is one of my greatest loves in life. ________________________________________ My Journey to Becoming a Therapist My path to becoming a therapist was not a straight one. Before entering the mental health profession, I spent more than 17 years working as an artist and clothing designer. I worked for several design firms and eventually founded my own yoga-inspired clothing company, Satori Sport. I loved the creativity of design, but over time I found myself searching for work that felt more personally meaningful. In 2008, I sold my business and began exploring a new direction. My interest in healing initially led me into the health and wellness industry, where I worked in education and explored the relationship between physical and emotional well-being. In 2010, I began graduate studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute in California, where I earned my master's degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology. My time at Pacifica was transformative. Through the study of psychology, mythology, ritual, symbolism, and the unconscious, I developed a deeper appreciation for the complexity of the human experience. But my interest in psychology began long before graduate school. Personal therapy, meditation, self-exploration, and a lifelong curiosity about the human condition have shaped much of my adult life. Today, I bring these experiences together with advanced clinical training in trauma, attachment, and somatic psychotherapy. My work is grounded in the belief that even our most painful experiences can become pathways toward greater understanding, compassion, and meaningful change. ________________________________________ Education, Certifications & Professional Training Education • Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, emphasis in Depth Psychology — Pacifica Graduate Institute • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Apparel Design — Otis College of Art and Design Professional Licensure & Certifications • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Texas • Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) • Certified in Dynamic Enriched Experiential Psychotherapy (DEEP) Advanced Clinical Training • NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) • Trauma-Conscious Yoga Workshop • Attachment-Based and Experiential Psychotherapy I remain committed to ongoing professional development, personal growth, and integrating contemporary research and clinical understanding into my work. ________________________________________ Beginning Your Healing Journey Finding the right therapist is an important and personal decision. I believe that feeling comfortable, understood, and respected in the therapeutic relationship is essential. Whether you are seeking relief from anxiety, healing from past trauma, navigating difficult relationships, or hoping to develop a deeper understanding of yourself, I welcome the opportunity to explore whether working together would be a good fit. I offer a complimentary 15–20 minute consultation to discuss your needs, answer questions, and help you decide whether my approach feels right for you. Healing is possible. Growth is possible. And you don't have to find your way alone. Helpful Resources Healing and personal growth can continue beyond the therapy room. The following organizations provide educational resources related to trauma, mental health, and recovery from coercive control. Trauma & Mental Health • Somatic Experiencing International — Information about Somatic Experiencing and trauma recovery. • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — Mental health education, support, and advocacy. • National Center for PTSD — Research and educational information about trauma and PTSD. Cult Recovery, Religious Trauma & Coercive Control • The Ethical Healing Project — Specialized resources and programs focused on healing after coercive control. • International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) — Research, education, and resources for individuals affected by high-control groups. • Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Information about undue influence, coercive control, and recovery. • Reclamation Collective — Resources related to religious trauma and recovery.