The "Internal Bench": Turning Internal Combat into Collaboration
Imagine a long, wooden bench set in a quiet, sun-dappled corner of a garden. On this bench, there is room for everyone. There is space for the part of you that is terrified of making a mistake, the part that wants to hide away from the noise of the world, and the part that feels an urgent, vibrating need to please everyone around you. Often, we spend our lives trying to push these parts off the bench, treating our internal friction like a "problem" to be solved or a "defect" to be fixed. We engage in an exhausting internal combat, hoping that if we just fight ourselves hard enough, we will finally become the "productive" or "easygoing" person society demands.
In our work together, we stop the fight. We stop trying to "fix" you and instead start inviting your internal team to the table—or, in this case, the bench.
From Internal War to Strategic Cooperation
For the neurodivergent and trauma-impacted system, these "difficult" behaviors are almost always brilliant protective strategies. That part of you that "freezes" when faced with a to-do list? It might be pulling the emergency brake to save you from total sensory burnout. That "pleasing" self? It likely learned that staying small and helpful was the only way to stay safe in a chaotic environment.
By moving away from pathologizing these responses, we create a "no-performance" sanctuary where you can finally put down the mask of competency. We prioritize System Navigation over symptom management.
Befriending the Protectors: Using Internal Family Systems (IFS), we acknowledge the protective intent behind your anxiety or "stuckness," moving from self-judgment to genuine self-compassion.
Somatic Literacy: We treat your physical needs—the urge to move, to hold a pillow, or to sit in silence—as vital clinical data, not inconveniences to be "managed".
Radical Relational Equity: In this private-pay partnership, you are not a chart number or a diagnosis code. We have the luxury of pacing—moving at the speed of safety so that your system can truly integrate change rather than just "performing" wellness.
The goal isn't to make you a "better machine" for a high-demand world. The goal is to help you become a more regulated, authentic human who can finally listen to their own internal compass and choose a life aligned with their true values.
Ready to trade internal combat for a restorative partnership?
I provide 100% virtual, neuro-affirming somatic therapy for adults across Minnesota who are ready to move from internal conflict into a life of embodied, values-aligned peace.
About the Clinical Approach
My approach to therapy is rooted in the belief that true healing begins when we stop working against ourselves. At Fig Tree Services, I specialize in neurodivergent-affirming, somatic-informed trauma care. My work utilizes an integrative, evidence-based toolkit, including:
Internal Family Systems (IFS): We compassionately explore the parts of you—the exhausted, the protective, and the critic—to help you find inner harmony rather than self-judgment.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): We focus on building the psychological flexibility to pursue a values-aligned life, even while navigating chronic pain or trauma.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: We use your body’s signals as a roadmap to gently release stored stress and trauma, moving beyond just "talking about" your symptoms.
AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy): We build a deeply relational, attuned space where you can safely feel and process emotions, knowing you are not alone in the work.
...to help clients move beyond trauma-driven adaptation toward authentic self-assertion. This creates a safe, relational container that honors individual capacity and fosters nervous system regulation. To learn more about the therapeutic modalities used at Fig Tree Services, visit www.fig-tree-services.com.
