Kristel Magluyan-Balais MP, RPsy

How I Work With My Clients

When you're looking for a therapist, it's important to find someone who feels right for you. Let me share a bit about how I work and what you can expect in our sessions together.

My foundation as a therapist is deeply rooted in trauma-informed care. What this means for you is that I understand the profound impact trauma can have on your life, and I'm committed to creating a space where you feel safe, respected, and in control of your own healing journey.

I believe the relationship between therapist and client is sacred. That might sound intense, but it's true – the trust and connection we build together is what makes healing possible. My role isn't to "fix" you or tell you what to do. Instead, I'm here to walk alongside you, offering support, guidance, and expertise while honoring your wisdom about your own life.

One thing that sets my practice apart is my attention to how trauma lives in the body. You might notice that when you're stressed or anxious, your body responds – maybe your shoulders tense up, your stomach feels tight, or your heart races. These physical responses aren't random; they're important signals. In our work together, I'll help you tune into these bodily experiences and use them as guideposts in your healing process.

Most importantly, we'll move at your pace. Healing isn't a race, and pushing too fast can sometimes set us back. I'll help you build a solid foundation of coping skills and emotional resources before we dive into more challenging work.

Understanding EMDR Therapy

A significant part of my practice involves EMDR therapy, a powerful approach that has helped many of my clients find relief from trauma, anxiety, and other challenges. Let me explain what it is and how it might help you.

What is EMDR and How Does it Work?

Think about a cut on your skin. Your body naturally knows how to heal it, but sometimes the wound needs a little help – maybe cleaning or a bandage. Your brain is similar. It naturally knows how to process difficult experiences, but sometimes traumatic events are just too overwhelming, and the processing gets stuck. That's where EMDR comes in.

EMDR uses eye movements (or sometimes taps or sounds) while briefly focusing on a troubling memory or feeling. This back-and-forth motion seems to help your brain process the stuck memory in a new way. It's similar to what happens during dream sleep, when your eyes move back and forth and your brain processes the day's events.

How EMDR Could Help You

I've seen EMDR help clients in many different ways. For some, memories that once felt raw and overwhelming become more distant – still there, but no longer controlling their lives. Others find relief from anxiety that's plagued them for years. Some discover they can finally let go of old beliefs about themselves that were holding them back.

EMDR can be particularly helpful if you:

• Find yourself overwhelmed by memories of difficult experiences
• React strongly to certain triggers
• Struggle with anxiety
• Have trouble letting go of past hurts
• Feel stuck in patterns that aren't serving you
• Carry the weight of childhood experiences
• Are working through grief or loss

What to Expect with EMDR

If we decide to try EMDR together, we'll start slowly. First, we'll make sure you have tools to handle strong emotions and ways to ground yourself when things feel overwhelming. This preparation phase is crucial – like building a sturdy foundation before constructing a house.

When you feel ready, we'll begin the actual processing work. You'll always be in control, and we can pause or slow down anytime you need to. Many clients find that EMDR feels gentler than they expected, though it's normal for emotions to come up during and between sessions.

Remember, EMDR is just one tool in our therapeutic toolkit. Whether we use EMDR, other approaches, or a combination, our work together will always be tailored to what feels right and helpful for you.

The most important thing to know is that healing is possible. I've witnessed many times in my practice, and I'm here to support you in finding your path forward. If you have questions about my approach or want to explore whether we might be a good fit, I welcome you to reach out for a consultation.

This is one of the most common questions I hear, and I'll be honest – there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Think of therapy like tending a garden. Some people might need a season to nurture and grow what they want to see bloom. Others might be working on deeper roots that take more time to strengthen.

The length of our work together depends on several things. Your personal history plays a big part – if you're working through recent stress at work, that might need a different timeline than processing childhood experiences. Your current life circumstances matter too. Some of my clients are juggling work, family, and other commitments that influence how much time and energy they can devote to therapy.

I also find that everyone brings their own unique strengths and resources to therapy. You might have a solid support system, well-developed coping skills, or a natural resilience that helps you move through challenges more quickly. Or you might be building these resources from the ground up, which is absolutely okay and might mean we need more time to work together.

What I can promise is this: I won't keep you in therapy longer than you need or want to be here. We'll regularly check in about your progress and adjust our approach based on what's working for you. Some clients find they're ready to wrap up after a few months, while others benefit from longer-term support. Some complete their work with me and return later when new challenges arise – and that's perfectly normal too.

Think of therapy as your journey, and I'm here to support you for as long as it feels helpful and meaningful. We can start with what's bringing you in today and develop a plan that fits your needs, goals, and life circumstances. And as with everything in our work together, you're in the driver's seat – we'll continuously evaluate and adjust based on what feels right for you.

My practice is focused exclusively on working with adults who are ready to address and heal from trauma. Whether you're dealing with a recent traumatic experience, processing childhood events, or noticing how past trauma is showing up in your current life, I'm here to support your healing journey.

I specifically choose to work with individual adults because this allows me to provide the focused, dedicated attention that trauma work requires. I do not work with children or adolescents, as I believe they require specialized approaches and expertise that differ from adult trauma work. While I deeply respect the value of couples, family, and group therapy, I've found that my ability to help others is strongest in one-on-one sessions with adults where we can create a private, contained space for your healing process.

I work with LGBTQIA+ clients and recognize the unique challenges and traumas that can arise from navigating life in a heteronormative society. This might include experiences of discrimination, family rejection, internalized shame, or the complex journey of coming out. While I'm here to support you in processing these traumas, I want to be transparent that for specialized needs like transition-related counseling or relationship issues specific to LGBTQIA+ experiences, I may recommend working with additional professionals who focus exclusively in these areas.

Similarly, I work with neurodivergent clients and understand that neurodivergence can intersect with trauma in complex ways. Whether you're dealing with trauma related to late diagnosis, masking, sensory overwhelm, or social challenges, I'm here to support your healing. However, I want to be upfront that for specific needs like executive function coaching, sensory processing support, or ADHD management strategies, you might benefit from also working with specialists in these areas. I believe in being honest about my expertise and limitations – my focus is on trauma work, and I want you to have the most comprehensive support possible.

Every person's experience of trauma is unique, and I work with clients from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Some of my clients come to therapy knowing exactly what trauma they want to work on, while others might just sense that something from their past is affecting their present. Both starting points are completely valid, and we can work together to understand what you need.

If you're looking for couples counseling, family therapy, child/adolescent therapy, group sessions, or specialized support for LGBTQIA+ or neurodivergent-specific challenges, I'll be happy to provide referrals to trusted colleagues who specialize in these areas. My commitment is to help you find the right fit for your needs, even if that's not with me. Many clients find it helpful to work with multiple providers who can each bring their expertise to different aspects of their well-being.