Narcissistic Abuse & Pathological Relationship Recovery
With 30 years of clinical experience as a licensed therapist in Denver, Colorado, I have worked with many mental health conditions and life experiences. It is rare to encounter a human who has never experienced trauma. Many of us can name the traumatic events we’ve experienced, yet others may not recognize certain experiences as traumatic. Simply living in the world today has exposed all of us to trauma. We live in a colonized, oppressive, racist, sexist system that is created to maintain the privilege of a few as we sacrifice the well-being, safety, and freedom of the majority. This has created tremendous systemic, intergenerational, and individual trauma for many and is a lens I hold as a therapist.
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You may be here because something in your relationship doesn’t make sense anymore. The person you once loved may feel cruel, unpredictable, or emotionally unsafe. You might describe the relationship as toxic, confusing, or deeply destabilizing — and you may be questioning your own perceptions.
You do not need to diagnose your partner to know that something is wrong.
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Many survivors of narcissistic or pathological relationships experience a core trauma response known as cognitive dissonance — feeling mentally and emotionally split about the person you love and the harm they cause. This can look like:
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They’re loving… and abusive
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This feels like my soulmate… and my worst nightmare
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I would never tolerate abuse… so why am I still here?
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This confusion is not weakness or denial. It is a normal trauma response to prolonged emotional manipulation, coercive control, or abuse. Cognitive dissonance can make it feel impossible to leave — or to fully heal even after the relationship has ended.
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Healing is possible. With specialized support, survivors can regain clarity, trust their reality again, and recover from the psychological and nervous-system impact of these relationships.
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You are not broken. What you’re experiencing makes sense — and you don’t have to navigate it alone.
How to work with me
JOIN SHE RISES COMMUNITY
This is a private, supportive membership community for people healing from narcissistic abuse, toxic relationships, and complex trauma. Whether you're still in a relationship, freshly out, or deep in the recovery process—this space was created with you in mind.
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Together with my co-host Lisa Sonni, we've built a place where you can:
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✨ Understand what happened to you
✨ Break trauma bonds and self-blame
✨ Heal in community with other survivors
✨ Reclaim your identity and inner power
✨ Get support from trauma-informed experts who truly get it
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
I provide individual therapy to individuals (all genders) who have experienced abuse by a partner, parent, or other person who has suspected or known traits of narcissistic, antisocial, or borderline personality disorders or psychopathy. My approach to Narcissistic abuse​ therapy in Denver is integrative, addressing not only the psychological impact of these relationships but also the ways trauma can affect the body. I can only provide therapy to people residing in the state of Colorado due to licensing regulations.
I am also a survivor. I get it. This will not be an experience where you are gaslit, misunderstood, or made to feel like this was your fault. I will help you understand exactly how and why you were abused in this way, how to heal, and how to prevent it from happening in the future (if this was a partner or friend).
Did you know?
These are some common physical symptoms seen in survivors of narcissistic abuse and pathological love relationships:
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Panic attacks: A panic attack is an abrupt onset of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes. Symptoms usually include at least four of the following: palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate; sweating; trembling; shaking; sensations of shortness of breath or smothering also can occur.​
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Insomnia: The constant stress, fear, and anxiety make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. This can make it difficult to tend to daily tasks the next day.
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Excessive fatigue: Often, fatigue goes hand in hand with insomnia. Survivors report staying up all night and sleeping all day. This extreme fatigue can also be due to the extraordinary amount of stress on the body that the body just needs to shut down to getaway.
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Thyroid or adrenal problems: These glands excrete hormones needed for metabolism. Too much or not enough of these hormones can lead to lethargy or too much energy.
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Agitation: Survivors are typically in a constant state of being angry or on high alert due to the unpredictable, stressful environment of being around the abuser.
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Feeling numb: Some survivors turn off emotions in order to avoid feeling any more pain.
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Abnormally high heart rate (tachycardia): Stress can lead to a heart rate that is too fast.
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High cholesterol: It is easy to let go of healthy habits when faced with life changes and stress.
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Intestinal Issues: Diarrhea, constipation, IBS, Crohn’s Disease
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Pain or muscle tension: Stress hormones keep the body in a tense, rigid state
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Weight gain around the belly: Cortisol is stored in body fat, particularly around the belly region
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Hypervigilance: Feeling edgy, easily startled, never able to relax.
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Chronic illness, disease, pain, or unexplainable symptoms in the body: There is a high occurrence of this in survivors of this toxic abuse.
If you’re experiencing some of these symptoms, understanding the physical effects of narcissistic abuse can help you recognize how prolonged stress may affect the body during and after an abusive relationship.
Sometimes we just need a little help to reconnect us to our innate wisdom. It is always there, even if you feel lost, unsteady, or impossibly overwhelmed. Together, we can get you there.
