Alex Orton

Healing happens in relationship: with ourselves, with others, and with our bodies. My goal is to create a space where you feel seen, understood, and supported as you move toward lasting change.

Many of my clients come to me after realizing that insight alone wasn't enough. They understand why they're struggling, but they're looking for therapy that helps their mind and body truly heal. I offer an integrative, trauma-informed approach that combines evidence-based practices with a deep understanding of the nervous system, attachment, and the mind-body connection.

You'll also be welcomed by my two canine co-therapists, Mo and Sam, who are present during sessions. They are thoughtfully incorporated into my practice because healing often begins with experiences of safety, connection, and co-regulation. Whether they're quietly resting nearby, offering a comforting presence, or helping us notice patterns in relationships and attachment, they are an intentional part of the therapeutic environment.

Above all, I want therapy to feel like a place where you don't have to perform or have everything figured out. Together, we'll create a space where your story is honored, your experiences make sense, and meaningful healing can unfold at a pace that feels right for you.

Healing isn't about becoming someone new. It's about helping your mind and body recognize that they no longer have to live as though the past is still happening.

I help people understand why their mind and body adapted the way they did, safely express what no longer serves them, and create experiences that allow lasting healing instead of simply managing symptoms.

I specialize in trauma, attachment wounds, anxiety, chronic stress, relationship challenges, chronic pain, and life transitions. My approach is trauma-informed, attachment-based, and integrative, drawing from EMDR, somatic therapy, parts work, polyvagal theory, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation.

Many of the thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and protective behaviors that feel frustrating today were once adaptive survival strategies. Together, we'll identify the patterns that no longer serve you, process experiences that remain unresolved, and help your nervous system update the information it's using so you can respond to today's life instead of yesterday's experiences.

Therapy with me is collaborative, compassionate, and personalized. My goal isn't simply to help you cope. It's to help you experience meaningful, lasting change so you can feel more connected to yourself, your relationships, and the life you're living.

Your first session is an opportunity for us to begin understanding the whole picture, not just the symptoms that brought you to therapy.

We'll explore what is happening in your life, what you've already tried, and what you hope will feel different. I'll ask thoughtful questions about your relationships, life experiences, nervous system, and the patterns that may have developed to help you survive difficult moments. Together, we'll begin identifying which of those patterns are still serving you and which may be keeping you stuck.

You don't have to tell your entire story during our first meeting, and there is no pressure to revisit painful experiences before you're ready. Instead, we'll create a roadmap that supports your goals while honoring your pace. Most clients leave their first session with a deeper understanding of themselves, practical next steps, and hope that meaningful change is possible.

From our very first session, my goal is to help you begin shifting from surviving to living, updating old patterns so your mind and body can respond to the life you're living today rather than the experiences that shaped yesterday.