The Story We Tell Ourselves: Moving from Shame to Clarity
We are often our own harshest narrators. For many of us—especially those navigating the complexities of chronic illness, neurodivergence, or trauma—life can begin to feel like a project we are constantly failing to optimize. When we feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or "stuck," our internal dialogue often jumps to a painful conclusion: "I am the problem. I am failing."
In my practice, we recognize that this narrative of shame is not just painful; it is a primary driver of burnout and powerlessness. The goal of our work together isn't just to fix your circumstances, but to help you reclaim your narrative.
The Exhaustion of the "Fix-It" Mindset
Many clients arrive in therapy looking for quick fixes. This "Whack-a-Mole" approach to symptoms can make therapy feel like just another exhausting demand on your already limited energy.
Instead, I work with you to create a sanctuary where you can stop trying to fix your internal world and start simply noticing it. By learning to be with your experience—even when it is heavy—you build a resilience that doesn't depend on constant striving.
In my practice, we often use a technique from Internal Family Systems (IFS) called "unblending"—learning to recognize your inner critic as a protective part rather than the absolute truth of who you are.
Disentangling Self-Worth from Circumstance
The "shame narrative" thrives on the idea that if your life feels difficult, it must be because of a personal deficit. We work to gently challenge these internal stories.
The Power of the Pause: We focus on building the capacity for a "pause"—a key practice in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to create distance between a trigger and your reaction, allowing you to respond rather than being hijacked by shame.
Somatic Clarity: Instead of relying solely on intellectual analysis, we use your body’s signals—tension, expansion, or calm—informed by Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and AEDP, to help you understand your reality.
Acceptance as Healing: We trust that true healing happens when we stop trying to force your system into a different shape and instead honor where you are right now.
Sustainable Pacing and Self-Compassion
For those managing neurodivergence or chronic illness, standard expectations for doing the work can be taxing. In our sessions, success is redefined. You don't have to perform wellness.
Honoring your lower capacity days is not a failure; it is a successful outcome of self-compassion. We move at the speed of safety, ensuring that therapy supports your life rather than becoming another task on your list to manage.
Reclaiming Your Energy
The ultimate goal of moving from shame to clarity is to reclaim your energy for what truly matters to you. When you stop fighting an internal war of shame, you gain the bandwidth to identify and live out your own life values.
You don't need to banish your difficult emotions to find peace. Instead, we work to understand what your system is telling you it needs and we listen.
About the Clinical Approach
Richelle Amundson, owner of Fig Tree Services, specializes in neurodivergent-affirming, somatic-informed trauma care. Her practice integrates core frameworks—including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and AEDP—to help clients move beyond trauma-driven adaptation toward authentic self-assertion. Her work utilizes an integrative, evidence-based toolkit to provide a safe, relational container that honors individual capacity and fosters nervous system regulation.
