I am a licensed clinical therapist with 25 years of clinical experience. I attended the University of Georgia for my Master of Social Work. After graduation I worked in a variety of settings with a diverse range of clients, primarily focused on adults and teens.

I’ve always been curious about which elements contribute to “success” with clients. As a result, this exploration motivated me to be trained in many modalities of trauma-informed care with a focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This therapy teaches us to have compassionate curiosity about ourselves rather than criticism.  We look at how opposite wants and feelings can exist at the same time. For example, therapy is the experience of “I accept myself as I am plus I want to change.”

Trauma-informed therapists are hopeful, believing we have been shaped by our experiences and we are not permanently flawed.

What to Expect from Me in Therapy

I value and emphasize the following during therapy:

• Establishing a trusting connection with my client, created and nurtured by conveying compassion and thereby validating the pain the client is bearing.
• Witnessing the client story, often buried in shame and guilt, and allowing time for my client to have the courage to speak aloud the secrets they may be keeping, no matter how traumatic.
• Providing a way forward with concrete objectives and tools that my clients can take home and use on their own. This comprises a “trauma resiliency” package of new skills to navigate emotions and life challenges.
• Educating my clients about the ability of our brains to change (neuroplasticity) by creating new pathways through the practice of cognitive, behavioral, and spiritual habits in order to affect lasting changes.
• Providing a wider definition of “trauma” to include a history of a dysfunctional upbringing, as well as patterns of damaging behaviors and relationships.

My Clinical Experience

The clinical experiences I have engaged in have strengthened my ability to treat and support clients with diverse and complex challenges. I have worked with male and female veterans for the Veterans Administration, with women and families for the Women’s Protective Family Shelter in Hawaii, as well as clients with mental health and substance abuse challenges in various outpatient mental health centers. In the earlier years of my career, I was the co-owner of a wellness center and used EMDR, exercise, and yoga to treat trauma.

I have a specific interest in topics including depression, anxiety, spiritual growth, setting boundaries, PTSD, complex PTSD, and process/substance addictions. Overall, I welcome individuals seeking relief from beliefs and behaviors that keep them from leading their best life.

My hope is that therapy with me is a combination of practical skills to help you achieve your goals, as well as a mystery full of unexpected grace and ultimately greater self-compassion.

It is an honor for me to be a part of your therapeutic transformation and I approach it as a journey we take together.

 

Natalie Isaac, LCSW

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
― Brene Brown