Trent Gardner

It’s incredibly easy to silence our true thoughts, emotions, and identities in a society that rewards conformity over authenticity. If you feel like you don’t quite fit in, or if you are working to untangle who you really are from who you were told to be, you don’t have to navigate that heavy lifting alone. In therapy with me, the space is entirely about you. I believe vulnerability is sacred, and my goal is to provide a grounded, accepting environment where you can safely heal and embrace your true self.

My style is dynamic, collaborative, and deeply relational. As a lifelong creative with an undergraduate degree in music and 25 years as a working musician and DJ, I believe the therapeutic process and the creative process are one and the same: when we create, we recreate ourselves. I specialize in using an expressive arts curriculum I’ve developed to help both artists and "non-creatives" tap into their inner spark to facilitate deep healing.

My primary areas of clinical focus include:

• Identity & Belonging: Navigating life transitions and self-discovery.
• Religious Trauma: Deconstructing from rigid or harmful belief systems.
• Trauma Recovery: Utilizing EMDR and my background as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) to help you process past wounds.

Whether you want to explore your world through your craft or simply need a safe place to land, let’s connect.

My approach is client-led, person-centered, and rooted in the belief that each client is the expert on themselves, even if they have lost touch with that truth for a while. I work primarily with individuals and draw from relational therapy, expressive arts work, EMDR, and trauma-informed care. I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and I use that training to support clients who are processing past wounds and looking for a path forward that feels steady and sustainable. I have developed an expressive arts curriculum that helps both artists and people who do not see themselves as creative reconnect with their inner spark as part of the healing process. My philosophy is that therapy and creativity are deeply connected: when we create, we recreate ourselves. I believe therapy should help clients understand themselves on a deeper level, process difficult experiences honestly, and build a life that feels more authentic, connected, and fully their own.

In a first session with me, clients can expect an immediately warm and accepting space where their vulnerability is respected. My first priority is to listen well and give you room to share as much of your story as feels right for you. I want to understand what has been hardest, what feels most important to you right now, and what parts of yourself may have been pushed aside along the way. By the end of the session, my goal is for you to leave not only feeling heard, but with one clear takeaway or one meaningful place of focus that gives us direction for the work ahead.

In our first sessions, we'll explore questions like: What would healing or progress look like for you? What is bothering you the most? What changes would you hope to see in your life? These conversations help guide our work together and ensure therapy is focused on what matters most to you.