About
Hi! I’m Tory.
Do you ever find yourself reacting to things in ways that you don’t want to? Maybe acting off of emotion in the heat of the moment, rather than sitting with your feelings, allowing yourself to think and waiting to respond? Sometimes, because of the trauma we’ve experienced, we can feel shame, anger or guilt. I get it, because as a mother, I’ve been there.
Now, I’m so honored to come alongside women who are seeking healing from the trauma they have experienced. Talk-therapy is important, but sometimes it is not enough. That’s where I come in. As an EMDR therapist, I help uncover the trauma that our bodies sometimes store. With my help, my clients find healing, wholeness, and peace again.
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Earned my M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Wheaton College in 2004
Worked as a therapist and treatment specialist for various counseling practices. Much of my work involved trauma counseling, including play therapy for young children.
Served at the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Cape Town, South Africa in 2007
EMDR-certified through EMDRIA (EMDR International Association) in 2016
EMDRIA-Approved Consultant in 2018 and trainer since 2019
In addition to helping clients find healing using EMDR, I train health professionals who want to integrate EMDR into their practice. I often speak professionally to parenting groups and health care providers about the efficacy of EMDR for clients suffering from perinatal trauma.
In April of 2018, I attended Postpartum Support International’s 2-day Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Components of Care training.
The Sweet Peace Story
I started college planning to be a veterinarian. One night, I sat in my closet in my dorm room and thought about what my spiritual gift was. I decided it was serving others and later decided to go into counseling. I earned my BA in Sociology and after deciding that people were important, my MA in Clinical Psychology.
When I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband and I were looking for a way for one of us to stay home more with having children and after talking with our prenatal class instructor about how I help people process their own in utero and birth experiences with EMDR, my husband created my business. The instructor asked for a business card and at that time I worked at an agency only with sexual abuse treatment. The rest, as they say, is history.
When I’m not helping people with their trauma and healing, I enjoy hiking, camping, reading, being present and playful with my children, traveling, tea and a good dinner party.
My Experience with EMDR
Before giving birth to my daughter, I used Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in my own personal counseling to process my emotions. Indeed, the natural birth I hoped for did not progress and I had to have an epidural. My daughter was born after 34 hours of labor. My joy and relief were short-lived when complications occurred and I was immediately rushed into surgery. I lost 2 liters of blood and I required a transfusion. All of this made breastfeeding difficult and painful…on top of the newness of becoming a first-time mom.
Thankfully, because I had used EMDR, I was better prepared to handle the stress and was able to move forward to raise my daughter with confidence rather than fear.
“Changing the memories that form the way we see ourselves also changes the way we view others. Therefore, our relationships, job performance, what we are willing to do are able to resist, all move in a positive direction.”
Francine Shapiro, Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy