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Survival Patterns
The essence of this work is not found in the retelling of the past, but in the physiological reorganization of the present. Trauma is not a story of what occurred; it is the lingering residue of survival patterns that never got released from the body.
Through a sophisticated somatic lens, we engage with the nervous system to signal that the danger has passed—updating the automatic responses of hypervigilance, bracing, or shutdown into a state of lived autonomy. This approach is an intentional fit if your inner experience currently feels effortful, or if you find yourself navigating:
Safe and Intentional Healing
Reconnect with the Body
Restore Internal Safety
Increasing Capacity for Closeness
From Insight to Embodied Resonance
The work we do together is both paced and consensual—rooted in the belief that trauma healing must be “safe enough” to be real. While traditional therapy often focuses on the narrative, our sessions listen for what the nervous system has been protecting you from.
We work respectfully, at the pace of trust, to shift the internal experience from a state of braced vigilance to one of integrated capacity. This is how the somatic process works:
Together, we identify and build “anchors” of safety and orientation. This creates a grounded foundation, ensuring you have a sense of choice and internal support before we explore deeper material.
We observe the subtle dialogue of the body—breath, sensation, and impulse—as it happens. By noticing activation and settling in real time, we help your system learn how to return to a state of calm.
To avoid flooding the system, we often slow moments down. We may pause or “rewind” a thought to help the nervous system experience a different outcome: more agency, more choice, and a successful completion of defensive patterns.
We support the body in finishing the survival responses that were interrupted during the original trauma. This allows the nervous system to finally “update” its records, recognizing that the threat is no longer present.
Our objective is not a singular, overwhelming emotional release. It is the steady expansion of your internal container—the ability to feel deeply without overwhelm and to respond from a place of coherence rather than defense.
Areas of Specialization To Help You With
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How to determine if we are a good fit?
This work tends to fit best for those who have already done a lot of self-reflection and still feel stuck—because what’s missing isn’t intelligence, it’s integration. You may be high-functioning, capable, and self-aware, yet if your inner experience is effortful, with anxiety, shutdown, rumination, chronic tension, or repeating relationship loops, then somatic integration can help the nervous system release what no longer needs protection.
If you want therapy that’s deep and practical—where insight becomes embodied change—this may be a good fit.
- You’re insightful, articulate, and self-aware—but still feel stuck in anxiety, shutdown, over-functioning, or the same relationship loop.
- You can “know” what’s true, yet your body doesn’t seem to believe it.
- You tend to live from the neck up—because feeling has been overwhelming, unsafe, or simply unavailable.
- You want therapy that is relational and depth-oriented, but also practical and embodied—so your progress isn’t just conceptual.
For over 20 years, I have guided clients into the quiet corners of themselves – to discover beliefs that had been running in the background – quietly shaping
Creating Deep and
Lasting Change
The objective of this work is a permanent shift in your baseline. As the nervous system integrates the safety of the present, the internal atmosphere moves from a state of braced defense to one of expansive capacity. You are not simply “managing” symptoms; you are updating the somatic blueprint of your life.
01. Internal Quiet
A softening of hypervigilance and fewer shutdown cycles. You gain a resilient, natural ability to return to calm after stress, rather than staying stuck in shutdown or panic.
02. Earned Autonomy
Triggers lose their authority. This happens not by “talking yourself out of them,” but because your body has reached a new, lived conclusion of safety.
03. A Regulated Nervous System
A return to a steady foundation marked by restored sleep and the release of chronic physical “armoring.” Your system moves from a state of survival into a state of sustainable presence.
04. Restored Vitality
As the energy used for automatic defense is reclaimed, you regain the internal openness and presence required for authentic closeness and intimacy.
Danute is an inherently compassionate and caring individual, with a mind that constantly strives for deeper understanding, apropos to her practice as a depth psychotherapist.
Her therapy work is fortified by a legacy of experience and a dedication to helping others find their own healing power. My session with her was not only revealing of my inner motivations and beliefs, but it began a thread of a healing journey that continues to this day. I am delighted to wholeheartedly recommend Danute for her exceptional intelligence, compassion, and dedication as a therapist and healer.
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
True resonance isn't forced; it is felt. I invite you to a 20-minute, low-pressure conversation to ensure our work feels like a natural dialogue. We will explore what has brought you here and the path you’ve navigated so far.
I’ll offer a few focused questions regarding your goals and how your nervous system holds the world—whether through bracing, anxiety, or quiet shutdown. We may also share a brief moment of pause, allowing you to experience the somatic lens firsthand.
Resources & Publications
Common Questions About my Practice
No. We focus on what your nervous system is doing in the present. We may touch the past as needed, but we work in a paced way that prioritizes safety and choice.
That’s a protective response, not a failure. We learn to notice early signs, work gently, and build capacity so your system doesn’t have to leave.
It can be emotional, but we don’t chase catharsis. The goal is capacity and integration—small, tolerable steps that the nervous system can actually absorb.
It means helping your system recognize that the danger is not happening now, completing what got interrupted, and creating new pathways so you’re not automatically pulled into fight/flight/freeze/collapse.
Readiness is not about bravery—it’s about support, stability, and pacing. We can start with resourcing and stabilization, and only go as fast as your system can trust.
- $180 / 50-minute session (the standard format, and often ideal for somatic work)
$250 / 75 to 90-minute session (occasionally helpful for couples sessions or trauma-focused work that benefits from more time)
New client appointments are generally available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please see my calendar for current availability. (Link to scheduling page here.)
A waitlist is available for group therapy.
I do not bill insurance directly. However, my psychotherapy sessions are often eligible for out-of-network reimbursement, depending on your plan. I can provide an invoice after each session or a monthly superbill that includes all the information typically required for submission to your insurance provider.
Questions to have on hand when calling your insurance provider
- Do I have out-of-network mental health benefits for psychotherapy (CPT 90834 / 50-minute sessions)?
- What is my deductible, and have I met it yet?
- After the deductible, what percentage or dollar amount is reimbursed per session—and is there a reimbursement cap?
- Do you require pre-authorization or a referral?
- What documentation do you need for reimbursement (is a superbill accepted), and where/how do I submit it?
If asked to verify your provider, specifically, my National Provider Number is: 15384846969
In addition to the payment link on this website, I accept payment through most electronic services, including Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, and Square (and other comparable options as needed).
- Full refund for cancellations made 48+ hours before your scheduled session.
- For cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice, you may reschedule with no penalty up to 18 hours before the session time.
- For changes made 18 hours or less before the session, a $50 rescheduling fee applies (exceptions may be made for emergencies where no notice was possible).
- No-shows: the session fee is forfeited.