Sign up for my newsletter here.
You probably have questions about how we’d work together. What therapy feels like. Whether coaching might be better. If online programs can really help. I get it—reaching out feels vulnerable. Here’s more information that can hopefully answer your questions.
I specialize in individual therapy for women whose lives look good on the outside but feel painful on the inside. My approach combines evidence-based methods like EMDR, attachment-based therapy, and somatic work to address the specific intersection of relational trauma and external success. Here’s what makes this different: instead of traditional therapy that focuses on symptoms or pathology, we address the root patterns that keep you feeling disconnected from the life you’ve built. Think of it as building the psychological foundation that can actually support the life you’ve worked so hard to create.
Therapy is foundation work—we’re addressing the underlying patterns and emotional responses shaped by your early experiences. It’s designed to help you process past experiences, understand your nervous system responses, and develop new emotional regulation skills. This is healthcare-level work that can address mental health concerns. Coaching is more like building on an already-solid foundation—forward-focused work that helps you optimize your performance using existing psychological resources. If you’re experiencing patterns that feel out of your control—like anxiety spirals, boundary struggles, or relationship sabotage—therapy is likely your best starting point.
I operate as a private-pay practice, which means I don’t directly bill insurance. However, I can provide detailed receipts that many clients successfully submit for out-of-network reimbursement. This approach allows me to focus entirely on your healing without insurance company restrictions on treatment length or methods. No external entity decides what’s best for your healing process.
Here’s the honest answer: it varies significantly based on your goals, trauma history, and how your system responds to the work. Some people notice meaningful shifts within months, while others engage in deeper work spanning a year or more. What I can tell you is this—my clients are typically looking for sustainable transformation, not just symptom management. Foundation-level change takes time, but it creates lasting shifts across all areas of life.
Our first session is about understanding your story—where you’ve been and where you want to go. I’ll ask about your relationships, family background, and the patterns you’ve noticed. But this isn’t just clinical intake; it’s about understanding how early experiences might be showing up in your current struggles and successes. My goal is for you to leave feeling deeply understood and hopeful about what’s possible, with a clear sense of how we’ll work together.
Absolutely. I offer secure video sessions that work particularly well for busy schedules. Research shows online therapy is just as effective as in-person work for many concerns, and it’s often easier to fit into demanding lives.
Relational trauma happens when our earliest relationships teach us that connection isn’t safe, predictable, or nurturing. It doesn’t require obvious abuse or neglect—it can result from well-meaning parents who were emotionally unavailable, inconsistent, overwhelmed, or critical. Here’s how it shows up: difficulty trusting despite outward success, perfectionism that never satisfies, exhausting people-pleasing, feeling “too much” or “not enough,” or finding personal relationships infinitely harder than everything else. If you’re thinking “that sounds like me,” you’re probably right. And you’re definitely not alone.
Most therapists either understand trauma but miss how it shows up in successful people, or they understand achievement but miss the trauma patterns underneath. I specialize in that specific intersection. I understand how early experiences teach us that achievement feels safer than vulnerability, that our worth is tied to performance. And I know how to address these patterns while honoring everything you’ve built.
We typically focus on one approach at a time. If you’re dealing with trauma patterns or mental health concerns, therapy is usually the right starting point. Once you’ve built that solid psychological foundation, coaching can help optimize your performance. We’ll discuss what makes most sense during consultation.
I hear this frequently. Most therapy isn’t designed for the specific challenges of women who’ve built impressive external lives while carrying relational trauma. Generic approaches miss the unique patterns that develop when early wounds meet high capability. What we do here specifically addresses that intersection. If previous therapy felt too pathology-focused or too surface-level for your deep patterns, you’ll likely find this approach more effective.
Executive coaching is for women who want to optimize their leadership and performance while honoring their psychological wellbeing. It’s for those recognizing that the patterns that helped them succeed might also be creating limitations. This isn’t generic executive coaching—it’s specifically informed by my understanding of how relational trauma shows up in work contexts.
Traditional executive coaching focuses on skills and strategies. I help you understand how early relational experiences influence your leadership style, decision-making, and workplace relationships. That tendency to over-prepare? It might stem from early experiences where being “perfect” felt necessary for safety. Understanding this allows for more sustainable growth.
I work with clients on leadership development, difficult workplace relationships, imposter syndrome, perfectionism that hinders performance, work-life integration, career transitions, boundary setting, public speaking anxiety, negotiation skills, and building authentic confidence. The key difference: we address both practical skills and underlying patterns creating these challenges.
Coaching engagements typically range from 3-12 months depending on your goals. Some work with me for focused challenges like preparing for a promotion, while others engage in longer-term development. We’ll discuss the appropriate timeline based on what you’re trying to achieve.
Coaching includes regular one-on-one sessions (usually bi-weekly or monthly), email support between sessions, relevant assessments, and customized resources. I provide accountability and follow-up to ensure you’re implementing what we develop together.
I primarily work with individuals for deep, personalized work addressing both goals and underlying patterns. Occasionally, I work with small leadership teams when there’s specific need aligning with my expertise in relational dynamics.
This is exactly where my background becomes valuable. Many workplace challenges—difficulty with authority, perfectionism, people-pleasing, conflict avoidance—stem from early relational experiences. My coaching helps you understand these patterns and develop new responses that serve you better.
Success is measured by achieving the specific goals we set together—improved leadership effectiveness, successful transitions, better work-life integration, increased confidence, enhanced relationships. We establish clear metrics at the beginning and regularly assess progress.
Absolutely. The same patterns driving professional success often create challenges in personal relationships and self-care. My coaching helps you understand these patterns and develop strategies for sustainable success honoring both ambition and wellbeing.
Coaching develops your own capabilities and decision-making skills. I don’t tell you what to do; I help you discover your answers and develop skills for future challenges. My approach empowers you to become more effective independently.
My signature course “Fixing the Foundations” is a comprehensive program for anyone whose early relational experiences created patterns that no longer serve them. It provides evidence-based tools and frameworks to repair foundational patterns and build authentic connection and emotional stability. Think of it as psychological foundation work supporting everything else you’re building.
The course is for women recognizing that early experiences created specific patterns they’re ready to heal. It’s designed for those whose lives look successful but feel unstable underneath, who want to understand and transform the root causes of their struggles.
The course is educational rather than therapeutic. While therapy provides personalized treatment for your specific history, the course offers comprehensive education about relational trauma recovery at your own pace. It complements therapy rather than replacing it. Many find it helpful for understanding concepts or continuing learning after therapy.
“Fixing the Foundations” includes 49 comprehensive lessons covering every aspect of trauma recovery, detailed real-world exercises, evidence-based frameworks grounded in current neuroscience, and lifetime access. The course combines clinical sophistication with practical implementation.
The course is self-paced, so completion time varies. Most participants take 3-6 months to work through all the content, but you have lifetime access. Many people find value in revisiting sections as they grow and encounter new life challenges.
No, but if you’re dealing with significant trauma symptoms or feel overwhelmed by content, I recommend working with a qualified therapist alongside the course. It’s educational and empowering but not a substitute for personalized therapeutic support when needed.
I periodically offer live Q&A sessions and maintain a private community space for participants to connect with others on similar journeys. Updates about community features are communicated to course participants.
Start with my quiz to understand your foundation stability and patterns. Explore my newsletter to experience my approach. The course comes with a satisfaction guarantee for risk-free trying.
“Fixing the Foundations” uniquely combines clinical sophistication (15,000+ clinical hours), comprehensive scope (49 lessons), evidence-based approach (current neuroscience), and practical application. It specifically addresses how relational trauma shows up in women who’ve built impressive external lives.
Yes, the course is accessible on all devices—smartphones, tablets, computers—allowing engagement whenever and wherever convenient.
My newsletter provides bi-monthly essays exploring how relational trauma impacts our lives and relationships. I share clinical insights (with confidentiality protected), research findings, and practical strategies for building psychological foundations that support both wellbeing and achievement. It’s for anyone wanting to understand themselves more deeply and build more fulfilling lives.
The newsletter is where I dive deepest into complex psychological concepts with comprehensive frameworks and detailed case studies. It’s my most intimate content offering—where kitchen table wisdom meets clinical sophistication.
I offer both tiers. Free subscribers receive select essays and updates. Paid subscribers access all content including my most in-depth pieces, subscriber-only discussions, and early access to new offerings. Paid subscriptions support my ability to create high-quality, research-based content.
I publish substantial, thoughtful bi-monthly essays—twice per month. This schedule maintains depth and quality while respecting your time and inbox.
Topics include understanding relational trauma patterns, navigating relationships when you’re achievement-oriented, building emotional regulation, addressing perfectionism and people-pleasing, creating boundaries, integrating success with wellbeing, trauma-informed parenting, and translating therapy insights into daily life.
Free content can be shared; paid subscriber content is for subscribers only. I appreciate when readers share insights with attribution, helping more people discover these resources. Please respect the subscription model by not sharing full paid articles.
The newsletter is my content ecosystem’s hub—where I share deepest insights and most comprehensive frameworks. Many discover my therapy and coaching through the newsletter; course participants often subscribe to continue their learning journey.
My newsletter uniquely addresses how relational trauma shows up in outwardly successful lives, drawing from 15,000+ clinical hours. Unlike generic mental health content, I understand trauma in those who’ve achieved much externally and provide strategies honoring both healing and ambition.
Yes, you have complete control through Substack—pause, cancel, or change your subscription level anytime without long-term commitments or cancellation fees.
The newsletter is ideal if you suspect early experiences influence your current relationships despite external success. If you’re curious about trauma’s impact on achievement, want deeper self-understanding, or seek sophisticated yet accessible psychological content, it will likely resonate. Start with the free tier to experience my approach.
If you’re dealing with trauma symptoms, mental health concerns, or stuck patterns you can’t change alone, therapy is likely best. If you want to optimize performance with a relatively stable foundation, consider coaching. The course offers comprehensive trauma recovery education at your own pace. We can discuss what’s most beneficial during consultation.
Yes, I offer brief consultations to determine fit and appropriate service. This ensures alignment with what you’re seeking and helps you invest resources in the most helpful direction.
Rates vary by service and are discussed during consultation. I believe in transparency about investment and provide clear information for informed decisions. Payment plans are available for some services.
Take my quiz first—it helps you understand your foundation stability and provides personalized pattern insights. Then explore my newsletter to experience my approach, or reach out directly for therapy or coaching consultation.
Availability varies by service and time of year. I’ll share current availability during consultation and discuss options if there’s a waiting period. I maintain a limited caseload to ensure quality attention for each client.
Many aren’t sure if their experiences “count” as trauma, especially without obvious abuse or neglect. Relational trauma can be subtle—about what was missing (emotional attunement, consistent safety, unconditional love) as much as what was present. If you struggle with relationships, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or your inner experience doesn’t match outer success, it’s worth exploring whether early experiences play a role.
This is exactly my specialty. Many find that strategies creating external success don’t translate to personal fulfillment or relationships. I understand how early experiences teach us achievement feels safer than vulnerability, and I help build the psychological foundation supporting both excellence and satisfaction.
Yes, I work with people of all genders who resonate with my approach and are healing relational trauma patterns. While much existing content has focused on women’s experiences, my methods and expertise are effective regardless of gender identity. I’m committed to providing inclusive, trauma-informed care for everyone seeking lives that feel as good as they look.
You’re likely ready if you recognize current patterns aren’t serving you and you’re willing to explore how your past influences your present. This work requires courage and commitment but not crisis. Many clients start from wanting their inner experience to match their outer success rather than from desperation.
I offer online services for therapy, coaching, and consultations, so geography typically isn’t a barrier. The course and newsletter are accessible worldwide. For therapy, I need to ensure I’m licensed in your state or country, which we can discuss during consultation. Many find online sessions just as effective as in-person.
Sign up to receive Annie's bi-monthly essays, plus news and announcements that she only shares with her newsletter list.
This site uses cookies to do things like analyze website performance and customize your experience. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for more information.