Rita Millhench

Welcome! Relieving people from suffering and helping them grow and develop is a privilege. Since 2022, I have been studying how to work with people who have experienced trauma, whether it was a sudden incident or ongoing. The word "trauma" has been redefined in the Somatic Experiencing (SE) training as anything that is overwhelming; and widening the forms of it to include: car accidents, falls, surgery, illness, death, loss, birth, natural disasters, rape, war, bullying, developmental trauma, abuse and pain. Stress or trauma can cause us to become stuck in the fight, flight or freeze ressponse resulting in dis-regulation of our nervous system. Unresolved trauma can cause health issues, emotional and physical pain and mental instability. As Peter Levine, PhD, the founder of SE, says, "Trauma is not in the event, but in the nervous system." Through my own trauma, struggles and study, I have experienced the importance of learning to focus on the body's reaction to various issues. Somatic Experiencing therapy allows the space, time and resources to allow the nervous system to come back into regulation. In order to allow the space and time, we need to use the language of the nervous system.which is a different language from "talk therapy." Talking about a "trauma" can be retraumatizing. Along with SE healing techniques, I use a holistic approach, bringing attention to the body with the mind and learning how emotional blocks in the body can keep us stuck in negative patterns. My counseling style embraces not only SE, but also mindfulness techniques, humanistic, psychodynamic, and IFS or "parts" therapy. Safety and trust are important initial building blocks with psycho-education and the development of coping skills. Then, we can work toward the deeper roots of the presenting symptoms and issues. We each have a unique nature for connection and warmth, to be seen and heard. The creative process can be such a mystery, yet there is an order to the rhythm and sequence of the unfolding. I hope to have the opportunity to meet with you and explore your real needs.

"Everything changes once we identify with being the witness to the story instead of the actor in
it." ~ Ram Dass