Lori Heagerty

I have a long history of autoimmune disease and have had to learn "medicalese" to be taken seriously by doctors and to combat medical gaslighting, especially as it pertains to women. My mother and sister were disabled with the same issues I have. These experiences expanded my skillset to include Clinical hypnosis, Alternative approaches, Somatic Therapy, NLP, CBT, EMDR, and Mindfulness. These are my tools, and my mission is to share them with you so that you learn to use them when you need them.

I also have severe ADHD and have a certification as an ADHD specialist, which can feel like a number of conditions, such as anxiety and depression. ADHD, especially in girls and women, presents its own set of challenges. Behaviors, such as masking, often hide the diagnosis and, so the condition isn't treated until major problems arise in self-perception, negative self-talk, and feelings of inadequacy. There are ways to help cope. Sometimes just talking to someone who understands the problem from the inside out helps. There is so much that is misunderstood about ADHD, and psychoeducation is necessary to understand what your experience and reaction to it means.

I use Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing to treat several types of problems, including trauma, complex trauma, and grief and loss. I have found it very helpful for everything from grief and mourning, be that a loss of a loved one, loss of a relationship, loss of a part of one's childhood, or loss of control and doubt labels associated with ADHD.

I have a behavioral orientation to therapy as I believe you know yourself better than anyone. I won't second-guess you. Therapy is a two-way interaction where we can discuss whatever you need, not always based on an agenda. I'm always looking for other ways to look at a problem. I'm working on Somatic Therapy and neurological approaches, EMDR, CBT, and DBT. If we devise a plan that doesn't work as we thought, we rethink it and try something else. I have an extensive toolbox, and we have much to choose from.

I have developed a good sense of humor and try to use reframing to turn negatives into positives. You choose your homework, that way you are more likely to do it. I try to ensure that I can give you a toolbox of your own. That way, if a similar situation comes up, you can handle it yourself! My mother used to say, "You can give a hungry man a fish and feed for tonight. Or you can teach him to fish and feed him all his life". I want to teach you how to fish.