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Thank you for visiting the Paulsen Integrative Psychology, PLLC on Bainbridge Island in the Pacific Northwest. Sandra Paulsen, PhD, is a clinical and consulting psychologist who has used EMDR and ego state therapy to help many trauma survivors heal for over thirty years. She uses the early trauma approach of EMDR in combination with somatic methods, an intuitive understanding of traumatic reenactment experience, and ego state work to transform and repair trauma held in implicit memory. Her practice is currently limited to brief intensive work, usually three days at a time, when appropriate. During COVID spikes face to face work may not be possible. When face-to-face work is possible, it may be behind an acrylic screen.  

SANDRA PAULSEN PhD. WELCOMES YOU...

Integrative psychology utilizes the diverse and varied resources of the body, mind and spirit to achieve health, well being, coherence and balance. The principals of the Institute can assist you on your transformative path, utilizing a variety of healing and development strategies and tools. Sandra uses both traditional and non-traditional approaches for therapy, healing and discovery. 

 

Sandra combines leading-edge methods and ancient understandings in psychotherapy training, consultation, and treatment. She specializes in EMDR, somatic, and ego state therapies for adults especially in the intensive treatment format. Sandra also repairs the effects of very early trauma and neglect including the unremembered story from the earliest years.

WHAT IS INTEGRATIVE PSYCHOLOGY?

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Click this button to read a poem a former client wrote about this healing cottage I built in the forest for my office space. 

NEST

NEST™  is an integrated and systematic means to identify and address obstacles to the therapeutic repair of the effects of trauma.  

 

"N" represents the neuroaffective foundations of our understanding and treatment of trauma, including the Early Trauma approach of EMDR.  These foundations are inspired by the seminal contributions of Panksepp, Porges, Schore, and many more. Additionally, Sandra uses technologies such as LENS Neurofeedback, TouchPoints, and AlphaStim where indicated to assist in healing work.  

 

"E" stands for the emphasis on Embodiment that emerges from utilizing somatic therapeutic interventions to repair somatic dissociation and other bodily and energetic holdings that result from trauma in infancy and beyond.

 

"S" represents the system of ego states, which we address with Ego State Therapy. Initially we mitigate the protective functions of those states that interfere with working with other hurt child aspects of self that were disowned for survival.  Subsequently, we mediate internal conflicts and orient forsaken aspects of self to present circumstances and more. . 

 

"T" signifies that the approach is a therapy consistent with the core reparative process of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocess (EMDR) Therapy.  Sandra is known for her integration of the above therapies in a systematic way tailored to the needs of the individual.  

 

To learn more about the NEST approach, visit Sandra Paulsen's YouTube channel.

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