Meet Your Trauma Therapist
“Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about un-becoming everything that isn’t really you so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.”
— Paul Coelho
Courtney Watson, MA, Professional Counselor Associate, CHT
Therapist | Owner
She/her/hers
I work with individuals that experience the pain and loneliness of living with complex childhood trauma.
I came to this work through my own trauma and grief journey.
Growing up as a small child, I watched my mother battle breast cancer for fifteen years before it took her life. My grief was pushed away for years, though it ultimately came out in different, destructive ways. One day, the dam that was built to keep my grief contained broke, and I was forced to finally be with it. Those years were tender and led to a deeper understanding.
When I stopped fighting against my own parts, I was able to heal.
The gentleness, compassion, and safe container that I gave to myself is what I strive to provide all my clients. Every person has the innate ability to heal, grow, and bring balance to their inner system, we just don’t always know how or have external constraints.
We all hold enduring, aching stories.
Even if you were alone at the beginning of your story, you don’t need to continue that way. We can walk this path together.
My clients…
Are those who may identify with the following:
Experienced complex childhood trauma (i.e., sexual/emotional/physical abuse, death, neglect) and feel like it is time to process what happened in a different way.
You are doubting your religion or belief system or have left and don’t know how to navigate the world without it.
You have left your religion or belief system and want to figure out how to keep your relationships with family and friends still inside.
Someone close to you has died and you’re unsure how to continue forward in your life without them.
You have a terminal illness or someone you love is terminally ill and you are seeking support for the inevitability of death.
An intricate part of your routine, life, or relationship has been lost or taken away and you don’t know what to do.
Your inner critic is SO LOUD and so frustrating - but you can’t stop it.
You’re struggling. Plain and simple. And having someone along side you feels like it would help.
You have trouble trusting therapists or others due to a fear of being judged because of your life experiences or ‘alternative’ identities. If you are a sex worker, in the kink or sex positive communities, in non-monogamous/poly relationships, LGBTQA+ folks, or exploring your identity or thinking about joining any of these communities, you are safe and free to be all of you here.
Qualifications
Licensure & Certificates
Registered Professional Counselor Associate - R6874
Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists - 2021Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist 117-091
American Council of Hypnotist Examiners - January 2018Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 1 - 710
IFS-Institute - June 2021Death Doula Certification
University of Vermont - 2021
Education
M.A. Mental Health Counseling
Palo Alto University - March 2021I have additional training in:
complex grief
religious trauma & recovery
cult tactics & recovery
anxiety management
trauma integration
therapy for trans and nonbinary folks
health at every size & intuitive eating
and telehealth.