Self-Worth and
Trauma Therapy
Sacramento, CA
Are you hustling for worthiness?
Trauma therapy in Sacramento can help.
What’s wrong with trying to be perfect? Well, nothing, except for the fact that you never feel good enough.
You live in constant anxiety, worrying about making the wrong move; you don’t want to disappoint anyone. You care too much about what other people think.
But outside criticism pales in comparison to the harsh voice within. You mentally beat the crap out of yourself whenever you make a mistake. You hold yourself to an impossible standard.
You’ve been told you’re too sensitive. You’re especially sensitive to criticism, real or perceived, and you avoid conflict at all costs.
You agree to things you don’t really want to do, to avoid having anyone be angry or disappointed with you. You have a hard time saying “no” and if you do, you feel guilty. People take your kindness for granted, and you’re starting to become resentful.
Hi, I’m Alyssa.
I’m a trauma therapist in Sacramento.
I specialize in helping recovering perfectionists and people pleasers finally find their deep sense of worthiness—in relationships, at work, and in every area of their lives.
When you stop letting perfect be the enemy of good, you’ll discover joy in the journey, not just the destination. You deserve to feel fulfilled every step of the way.
While the outside circumstances of my therapy clients’ lives may not necessarily change significantly, their mindsets do, and that makes all the difference.
Let’s change your definition of success so you can start living a life that reflects your priorities and values, instead of a life ruled by fear of what other people will think of you.
I meet so many amazing people who have so much to contribute to the world but feel disempowered and hold themselves back. It truly excites me to see my trauma therapy clients start to recognize their strengths, grow more confident, and get excited about life again.
I’d love to help you too. Click here to schedule your free 15- minute phone consultation for self-worth focused trauma therapy in Sacramento.
Frequently Asked Questions about
Self-Worth Focused Trauma Therapy in Sacramento
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As I define it, perfectionism is always a problem. It’s largely driven by shame. Humans are naturally flawed and make mistakes and expecting perfection is inherently unrealistic and a setup for failure.
Perfectionism is not the same as striving for excellence. With a healthy sense of self-worth, there’s plenty of room for healthy striving.
In short, perfectionism is a problem if it causes you significant distress (such as stress, anxiety, rumination/overthinking, harsh self-criticism, difficulty celebrating your success or enjoying your accomplishments) or negatively impacts your functioning (e.g., procrastination, burnout, negative impact on relationships).
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Yes. Perfectionism can develop in response to a critical parent, or when love/affection/attention/approval seem contingent on performance.
Perfectionism can also be learned through modeling, by observing and emulating a caregiver who is overly focused on achievement.
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Yes, it can be. People pleasing is part of the "fawn" response, a protective strategy in which we over-give, appease, or comply with others and deny our own needs in order to gain approval, avoid conflict, and feel safe.
While not everyone who people pleases has trauma, it’s often connected to early relationship experiences with caregivers.
People pleasing is also connected to collective trauma and systems of oppression. Members of oppressed and minority groups are more likely to turn to people pleasing as a survival strategy.
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Absolutely. Self-worth struggles are often connected to relational wounding such as emotional neglect, parentification (taking on the responsibilities of an adult when you’re a kid), or repeated experiences of being criticized or feeling unseen. Trauma therapy isn't just for major traumatic events.
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I’m admittedly biased, but I believe the modalities I use are particularly well-suited to healing self-worth struggles.
Parts work (Internal Family Systems) is uniquely non-pathologizing and one of the best ways to cultivate self-love. You’ll strengthen your wisest, most loving Self and extend unconditional love to even your most difficult Parts. Your inner child can begin to heal with you as their loving caregiver.
I also use somatic therapy to help you shift out of chronic states of nervous system dysregulation that keep you stuck in self-critical and self-denying reactions.