Do you feel overwhelmed by childhood trauma and its impact on your mind, body, and spirit? A Holistic trauma framework is a radical approach for addressing intergenerational trauma that supports liberation and collective cultural practices and views symptoms as impulses for generative change, rather than a pathology. A holistic trauma therapist can be your compassionate guide as you journey to heal from a variety of mental health illnesses through organic and relational guidance centered on addressing your unique needs and life purpose.
The Western Psychological framework utilizes the American Psychological Association's DSM Manual which outlines the symptoms and mental health disorders associated with complex trauma. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the most widely known mental health diagnoses with a variety of trauma therapy options available. Most PTSD therapists use traditional Western psychotherapy approaches such as CBT to address trauma and PTSD in their clients.
At You Were Born Free, I offer holistic trauma therapy in Oakland, CA for adults struggling with trauma and ptsd as well as depression, collective grief and marginalization associated with systemic and hierarchical forms of oppression. My integrative approach allows folks to deeply explore the interconnectedness of their body, mind, and spirit so that they can best process and understand how their behaviors, felt emotions, and bodily responses have been misaligned and misappropriated through repeated trauma and ptsd. It would be an honor for me to walk alongside you in solidarity and compassion.
My approach to care work has always been deeply rooted in my lived experiences growing up as the first born daughter to refugee Vietnamese parents fleeing war violence and a communist regime. Growing up, I would struggle to describe what I now understand to be the intergenerational trauma that lived as rage and grief within my body; passed down from my parents. I became a holistic trauma therapist to offer others new ways of centering care that draws from collective ancestral wisdom and inner intuitive experiences.
At the core of my practice’s philosophy is culturally sensitive care utilizing a holistic and curious approach.
We will work together to develop self compassion for your trauma and ptsd, uncover the extremely painful memories slowly with care. You will learn how your trauma lives within your body and discover new coping skills via somatic based therapy modalities. You will adapt somatic practices by connecting with the land and nature to restore your nervous system. As a result, you will grow healthy relationships for yourself, others, and your community; ultimately developing wholeness and sovereignty within this world.
I offer teletherapy for anyone living in Berkeley, Oakland or throughout California. I am dedicated to journeying with you through the depths of your pain, so that you can rewrite the narrative of your life, paving the way for radical reconciliation with your mind, body, and spirit.
Hello! I’m Ms. Emily Tran, a holistic therapist from Oakland, Ca. I spent decades profoundly unaware that my past upbringing as the eldest child in an emotionally restricted environment would manifest as relational trauma and difficulties with forming intimate relationships. I found myself in an endless cycle of domestic violence and narcissistic abuse. My way through this darkness centered on various holistic approaches. I was finally able to connect the complex trauma from my familial lineage and systemic oppression while also uncovering the root causes to the myriad of psychosomatic symptoms I had developed. Through yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques, I learned how to better take care of my health and incorporate movement to help me feel safe in my body again.
I am a holistic trauma therapist because I am grateful to share the wisdom through my lived experiences and specialized training. It would be an honor to walk alongside you as you journey into radical sovereignty and wholeness.
Arrive as you are. My practice centers your sovereignty and heart as we work together to untangle your trauma, dive deep and heal from depression, anger, anxiety, and difficult emotions. It takes bravery and resilience to be vulnerable and seek out life transforming trauma therapy treatment. You Were Born Free is life affirming, culturally sensitive, and a holistic private practice serving adults located in Oakland, Ca.
I specialize in working with patients who would like to get to the root cause of their trauma, support their physical bodies and find success through empowered knowledge from individual and collective values.
Holistic therapy is an innovative way to address your mental health struggles and stress. A holistic approach allows you to go beyond managing your ptsd symptoms so that you can process your past childhood or the roots of your soul. Through gentle, safe, and gradual guidance, we will pinpoint the traumatic event or surrounding life circumstances that have led to present dysfunctions impacting your ability to find joy, peace, and freedom. You will break free from all the core wounds, chronic health issues and anger, keeping you suck in a cycle of fear and hopelessness.
When you experience developmental trauma as a child, you probably felt an utter lack of control over your feelings, behaviors, and circumstances. There is beautiful healing available when you are able to understand the interconnectedness of your body, mind, and spirit. In choosing trauma therapy with You Were Born Free, you will be able to engage in profound discovery, experience curiosity again as you utilize somatic interventions with creative narrative therapy or storytelling to rewrite your life’s story. The goal is to move beyond management of symptoms through psychotherapy and medications, but rather specialized interventions that address your entire well-being. I enjoy working from an intuitive and deeply relational way that rejects the power over dynamics found in most therapeutic spaces. I help you set healthy boundaries through personal embodiment, allowing for radical sovereignty and a peaceful relationship with your own soul.
Responsible stewardship is very important to me. This means I diligently provide quality care for all my clients, especially those of you who have experienced complex trauma. Trauma and ptsd can distort your self-perception and leave you feeling stuck in the past, powerless to change anything for a better future. When you work with me, I will help you to uncover your unique narrative and find love for your inner child so that you can redefine your life, and bloom from your roots. We will draw from multiple perspectives and many wells of wisdom, so that you recognize that your trauma may have shaped you but it doesn’t define who you are. You will leave feeling empowered and educated with knowledge and the tools to live a purposeful life.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) there are several helpful counseling treatment options for trauma. Some trauma therapists utilize traditional talk therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). There is promising success with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) as well as Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). Ultimately the most effective approach depends on comfort and trust with the therapist and also whether their qualifications are able to best meet the needs of your experienced trauma.
I center my trauma counseling practice for Asian Americans or adults with immigrant or refugee parents. I use a combination of Western psychotherapy and Eastern traditions that focus on mindfulness, somatic embodiment, and creative expression through storytelling and narrative therapy. A holistic trauma framework allows for a thorough connection between our psyche, feelings, and how they manifest in our living vessels.
A “regular” or generalist therapist typically provides traditional talk therapy for a variety of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or relationship issues. They usually prioritize decreasing symptoms, utilizing goal or solution focused therapies to help you manage your presenting concerns. A trauma therapist often has specialized training in understanding the neurobiological effects of the brain from trauma and ptsd. In addition, trauma therapists focus on helping the person process and heal from their traumatic memories which can include sexual assault, institutionalized violence or a life threatening accident, through safety, gradual exposure, developing coping skills and supporting the nervous system for healthy brain functioning.
I specialize in holistic therapy for Asian Americans or folks of the global majority who have experienced intergenerational trauma. My training includes certifications and clinical workshops from Bessel van der Kolk, MD, Peter Levine, PhD, and Laura van Dernoot Lipsky as well as leadership trauma training from Alameda County Center for Healthy Schools and Communities, UCSF's HEARTS program and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, CA. I have spent the last ten years facilitating training on trauma informed practices for various school districts in the Bay Area of California.
It is important to remember that what constitutes as success varies a great deal depending on what on the therapy seeker's individual goals or expectations. Although there is some evidence that EMDR has a high success rate for treating a person with a single-traumatic event, the studies leave out the complex institutionalized trauma that marginalized people and folks of color experience.
A holistic trauma framework is a new and transformative way of considering trauma that disrupts our realities and identities. We must approach this work with a firm understanding that social systems shape what trauma is and the environment in which it occurs. There are institutions of power in which frameworks for trauma are developed that uphold the White-dominant view and suppresses the collective knowledge of people from the Global Majority.
I approach my care work by drawing from the indigenous cultural knowledge that time is cyclical which means that healing requires the spirit to connect with the past, present, and future. The trauma you heal today may be revisited in the future. The successful dance of recovery and liberation comes from your own felt connection and celebration. It is up to you to discover what makes your heart sing for love again.
You Were Born Free is rooted in the belief that healing is interconnected. When you heal and overcome your suffering, you can then heal others. You may be surprised when you dive into the rabbit hole and stretch your imagination, trust in the divine energy of this earth and each other to show you the answers. My private practice is committed to offering teletherapy for all clients living in Berkeley, Oakland and throughout California. I welcome you to schedule a free consultation if you are interesting in creating a new sense of wonder and reconnecting with your innate wholeness.
