MY STORY

Hi, I'm Vivian, a therapist based in Sierra Vista, Arizona. I’m passionate about helping people work through trauma, chronic stress, and life's challenges using a neuroscience-informed, attachment-based, and somatic experiencing approach.  My goal is to create a space where you feel truly seen, understood, and supported in your healing journey. 

My path to this work started in Los Angeles, where I supported teenagers facing serious struggles like homelessness, pregnancy, LGBTQIA+ issues, sex trafficking, and incarceration.  After moving to Arizona in 2005, my focus shifted to working with school aged children in military families, the child welfare system, and youth with complex needs.  Now, in private practice, I work with adults process trauma, regulate their nervous system, and reconnect with their natural resilience.

Many people I've worked with — especially those who’ve experienced chronic stress, trauma, and brain-based diversity — have shared with me that they've felt misunderstood, unseen, or haven’t fully benefitted from traditional therapy.  This has deeply influenced my work.

What I learned is that cognitive or behavioral therapy can be helpful, especially when you’re feeling safe and connected. But traditional talk or behavioral therapy approaches might not fully address what’s happening beneath the surface.  That's because when the nervous system senses danger, it doesn't wait for your brain to figure it out — it reacts quickly to protect you, often before you can consciously process what's going on.  So, in those moments, it’s not that you lack effort or ability — it’s just that your brain is focused on keeping you safe, not on logical thinking.

Healing needs to start where these patterns live — in the body and nervous system.  

With my work and my own personal experience as a military family member and a parent of neurodivergent children, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of working with providers who create the conditions for higher-level cognitive and emotional functioning, focusing on the body as a foundation and working upwards to the brain. These approaches have shown me how profound healing and growth can occur when the whole person is supported in a holistic, connected way.

To ensure access to care, I offer telehealth therapy to Arizona residents, as well as clients in Colorado.  If you're navigating trauma, relationship struggles, or life transitions, I'm here to support you in finding greater self-awareness, ease, and confidence in your healing journey.  

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Master of Social Work, Child Welfare Specialization, Arizona State University

Bachelor of Science, Family Studies and Human Development, University of Arizona

Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP)

Somatic Experiencing International

Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist Individual (CCTSI) 

Trauma Institute International

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Arizona License #LCSW-16880

State of Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners

Colorado License #CSW 09931025

Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies

Division of Professions and Occupations