Marlo Drago

My Approach:

Trauma, burnout, and chronic pain all share something in common: they live in your body, not just your mind. Your nervous system gets stuck in patterns - constant activation, shutdown, pain loops - and no amount of "thinking differently" or "trying harder" can shift them. That's not a failure on your part. It's just how trauma and chronic stress work. Here's how I work differently: We start with your nervous system. Using polyvagal theory and somatic approaches, I help you understand what's actually happening in your body - why you feel the way you do, why certain things trigger you, why your pain persists, or why you can't seem to regulate your emotions. This isn't about managing these experiences; it's about shifting the underlying patterns. We process trauma, not just talk about it. I use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Internal Family Systems to help your brain and body actually process and release traumatic experiences. This works for recent trauma (birth trauma, medical procedures, accidents) and old trauma (childhood wounds, relational trauma, accumulated stress). EMDR is evidence-based and effective even for things that happened decades ago or pain that's been with you for years. We work with all the parts of you. Using IFS, we explore the different parts of you that might be in conflict - the part that pushes through pain, the part that's furious, the part that shuts down, the part that tries to hold everything together. When these parts feel heard and understood, you can show up as your whole self instead of feeling fragmented or at war with yourself. We honor what your body is telling you. Whether it's chronic pain, panic attacks, rage, numbness, or exhaustion - these aren't problems to fix. They're messages from your nervous system. We listen to them, understand them, and help your system find new ways of responding. We go at your pace. Trauma work doesn't mean overwhelming yourself. We build safety and regulation skills first, then process what you're ready to process when you're ready. You're always in control. This approach works whether you're dealing with parental burnout, chronic pain, complex trauma, or all of the above. The goal isn't just to "cope better" - it's to actually feel different in your body and your life.

What to expect in your first session

The first session is about getting to know each other. There's no pressure to tell me your whole story or have everything figured out. Here's how it typically goes: We'll start by talking about what brought you here - what's happening right now that made you reach out. I'll ask about your experiences (the burnout, the pain, the overwhelm, the trauma) and what you've already tried. I want to understand not just what's difficult, but what you're hoping will be different. I'll explain how trauma and chronic stress show up in the body and nervous system, and why the things you're experiencing aren't personal failings - they're physiological responses. Many people feel immediate relief just understanding this framework. We'll talk about what therapy with me actually looks like - what EMDR is, how we'll work with your nervous system, what somatic and IFS approaches mean in practice. I'll answer any questions and make sure you understand and feel comfortable with the process. If there's time and it feels right, we might do a brief grounding or regulation exercise so you can experience what somatic work feels like. This is completely optional - we only do what feels safe for you. By the end, you'll have a sense of whether this approach resonates, and we'll talk about next steps. We'll create a plan together based on what you need most. A few practical things: Sessions are 50 minutes and happen over secure video I don't diagnose or prescribe - I'm here to help you process and heal You don't need to have your story perfectly articulated. We'll make sense of it together. It's okay to cry, feel angry, sit in silence, or not know what to say. There's no "right" way to show up. The hardest part is reaching out. If you're reading this, you've already done that. I'm here when you're ready for the next step.