Penelope (Penny) Waller Ulmer

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is a body-based, neurobiological approach that helps clients work with trauma, anxiety, self-esteem, and attachment wounds. It focuses first on somatic stabilization by supporting awareness and regulation of physical sensations, impulses, or emotions linked to trauma or developmental wounds. SP tracks the nervous system in real time, helping clients process not only what happened but also what didn’t get to happen, such as suppressed emotions or interrupted boundaries. This creates space for agency, safety, and new experiences. SP identifies adaptive strategies once used to survive, connect, or disconnect, which may now limit vitality or relationship. Rooted in respect for internal pacing, SP integrates body awareness, emotional presence, and relational safety to support lasting change.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a brief, structured, evidence-based approach that helps clients process distressing images, memories, and sensations that continue to affect emotional and mental well-being. Traumatic experiences are often stored as visual fragments that trigger the nervous system, even without full memory recall, leading to anxiety, mood issues, and negative beliefs about safety, trust, or self. ART uses image recall, bilateral eye movements, and therapist-guided rescripting to lower emotional arousal and help the brain reconsolidate memories with less intensity. As distress fades, clients generate new imagery that reflects strength or resolution, changing how the experience is held in the body without erasing it. ART is especially helpful for clients stuck in visual loops or unresolved emotional patterns.

Client-Centered Therapy, or Rogerian therapy, is a humanistic approach developed by Carl Rogers that emphasizes a person’s innate capacity for healing and growth when supported in a safe, accepting relationship. The therapist offers unconditional positive regard, empathy, and authenticity to foster a space where clients feel seen, heard, and valued without judgment. Rather than directing, the therapist follows the client’s process, allowing for a deeper connection to emotions, values, and inner conflict. As self-understanding grows, clients often gain clarity, confidence, and the ability to set boundaries that reflect their true self. This approach is especially helpful for those with relational trauma, chronic self-doubt, or a history of feeling dismissed or unheard.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps clients recognize and shift unhelpful thinking patterns that contribute to emotional distress. By identifying cognitive distortions, such as negative, rigid, or self-critical thoughts, clients can develop more balanced and flexible ways of thinking, reducing reactivity and strengthening a sense of agency. Third-wave CBT approaches expand on this foundation. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) promotes psychological flexibility by helping clients relate differently to difficult thoughts, emphasizing values-based action and present-moment awareness. Schema Therapy addresses deep-rooted beliefs formed in early relationships, allowing clients to understand how past patterns shape their current sense of self. Together, these methods offer practical tools for symptom relief and deeper support for emotional healing, meaning-making, and self-understanding.