Peaceful Path Therapy

11/30/2025

EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy treat these issues and can relieve you of physical pain you may have carried for a very long time, probably unaware of its origin.

Studies show that the body can store emotional, physical, and sexual trauma, which can then manifest as physical pain. This happens because the brain doesn’t separate physical and emotional pain, and the nervous system can store trauma, leading to symptoms like chronic pain, headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues, especially in those with PTSD.

▶️How trauma is stored and expressed physically:

📑Embodiment theories: These theories suggest that traumatic experiences are stored in the body’s somatosensory system as implicit memories and can impact physical sensations and responses later in life.
📑Brain and nervous system response: The central nervous system processes emotional and physical pain similarly, and trauma can lead to chronic stress responses.
📑Chronic pain: There is a higher prevalence of chronic pain in survivors of childhood sexual abuse, as well as a link between trauma and conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
📑Manifestations: The physical pain can be a warning sign that emotional work needs to be done or a result of unresolved trauma in the nervous system.

▶️Examples of physical symptoms: Common physical symptoms include:
Headaches
Muscle pain and stiffness
Gastrointestinal issues
Fatigue
Increased heart rate, sweating, or trembling
Sexual pain or dysfunction

You must release the trauma from your body in order to heal. I will put a few somatic exercises in the comments section for you to try on your own, but more severe cases should seek professional guidance. Your trauma is never your fault, but, unfortunately, healing has become your responsibility. Take great care of yourselves sweet friends.
PMID: 21647882

11/08/2025

This is a poem about addiction. Which chapter describes you or your loved ones affected by addiction right now? I hope it’s chapter 5. ❤️

09/12/2025

I see clients from ages 4 to 120. I enjoy my work because it helps people feel better! Lately I have been reading about various war veterans, the PTSD they dealt with, and how much it negatively impacted their lives. You don’t have to go to war to have PTSD or its symptoms and you don’t have to live with it either. It’s completely treatable! And guess what—you don’t heal by talking about it.

Email me to start feeling better—Rachelbirchlcsw@proton.me

08/19/2025

🎯

08/05/2025

👍🏼

Think trauma only comes from dramatic events? Think again…
Everyday moments can leave deep imprints on your nervous system:
➡️ Micro-violations
Offhand comments and subtle slights feel small—until they pile up.
➡️ Constant Dismissal
Hearing “you’re overreacting” teaches your body to freeze rather than speak.
➡️ Emotional Abandonment
When your need for connection is ignored, you fear for your survival.
➡️ Medical Trauma
Routine tests and hospital stays can register as life-or-death in your physiology.
➡️ Perfection Demands
The pressure to be flawless lives on as chronic tension and exhaustion.
These “minor” incidents shape how you:
• Carry stress in your shoulders and gut
• Shrink from conflict or closeness
• Overthink every interaction
• Feel stuck in fight/flight/freeze mode
✨ You don’t have to let these small wounds control your life.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) can help you clear the hidden charge behind everyday traumas—without reliving every detail.
⭐️ Every experience counts. Every healing path matters. ⭐️
Ready to unwind those hidden knots? Find an ART therapist near you at www.ARTworksNow.com

04/19/2025

03/27/2025

Let’s talk about food and parenting. Some well-intentioned parents try to control what and how much their children eat. Perhaps this is the way they were raised and it is all they know.

Trying to control what and how much children eat is not only unhelpful, it is actually harmful. It can create a disconnect from themselves to their own bodies that can be very difficult to reverse even in adulthood. We are all born intuitive eaters; we know how much we need to eat, and it is important to honor and respect a child’s food choices because they are a human being who has preferences. When you can honor and respect their decisions, they will come to be able to naturally trust themselves and not battle eating disorders or disordered eating with as much prevalence. Food will be a non issue for them. Please don’t force a child to sit at the table until they “finish their food,” or “try a bite,” or some other rule you feel they need to do.

I’m not saying you should give your children treats and desserts all the time or let them have whatever they want. If you are curious to learn more details about this, I highly suggest the book Intuitive Eating.

03/26/2025

When you tell a crying child, “You’re ok,” your intention may be to help them feel better and get over their feelings, but what you are actually doing is invalidating their feelings and setting them up to not have the skills to emotionally regulate on their own. This pattern can lead to all sorts of problems, such as addiction, disconnection from others, and disconnection from oneself. Empathy is so important. Instead of saying “You’re ok,” Ask them “Are you OK?” And then listen. If they’re crying, you don’t need to ask because you can see they’re not OK. In those cases you can give them language for their feelings, such as “Oh you really got hurt didn’t you,” or “You are sad!“ or “It’s a hard day isn’t it? It’s OK to cry. I’m here for you.” In doing this, you’ll give your children power now and as adults to be there for loved ones and themselves emotionally. It is a gift.

03/14/2025

This is so important!

Let go of trying to fix or save everyone around you, even your kids. That one is harder, but letting them learn that they can handle challenges builds their resilience, confidence and grit for the life ahead of them. Of course, there are times when direct participation is necessary. This does not mean ignore them in an emergency, or ignore them at all; but rather support them in finding solutions to problems they are encountering in day to day life.

Everytime this is done, the muscle gets stronger.

You got this, and they got this too…

Drop a 💪🏽if you can see how this could be helpful.

12/14/2024

Do you know someone with an addiction or habit they have tried to break but have given up because nothing worked? I use Accelerated Resolution Therapy to actually desensitize triggers. My clients have told me over and over how shocked they are that they have been able to not even need the thing they were completely addicted to most of their lives. This is because ART is actually changing their brain. Talk therapy does little to change brains. All that is required for ART to work is for the person to have a desire to stop doing their addiction. After we desensitize triggers, we make goals based on their values to give them new healthy behaviors they are excited about doing instead. I love this work!

11/23/2024

Attunement is key!

11/05/2024

Help children be emotionally healthy and you build a more stable world.