Offering In-Person And Online Therapy
Specializations:
- Sexual Trauma
- Childhood Experiences of Abuse
- Adjustment Challenges
- Domestic Violence
- Disordered Eating and Body Image Issues
- Identity Development with LGBTQ+ Individuals and Gender Affirmation Care
- Anxiety and Depression
Hi, I’m Pamela Altemos,
Are you experiencing a mind-body disconnection? Perhaps you are feeling emotionally numb and detached from physical sensations and present experiences. Trauma disrupts the foundation of the body as a safe place, affecting survivors’ trust of self needed to establish and maintain healthy relationships with others.
As a yoga instructor and therapist specializing in trauma, I help survivors rebuild a sense of trust and safety in the body by incorporating somatic exercises, breathwork, and relational skills.
Through this holistic approach, clients are able to tolerate sensory and emotional experiences to cultivate a compassionate relationship with their bodies.
In addition to the breathwork and somatic techniques, I incorporate modalities such as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). My practice honors an integrative approach that cultivates gentleness, acceptance, and compassion toward ourselves and others.
Why I’m a Therapist
After I obtained my undergraduate degree, I moved from rural Ohio to Washington D.C. to work as a lobbyist for a non-profit environmental organization.
During this time, I began volunteering at a women’s domestic violence shelter. Through this volunteer experience, I observed disempowered women regain strength, hope, and self-love with access to therapy, resources, and community. The narratives of these survivors inspired me to pursue a career in mental health that affords me the privilege of witnessing others’ journey of healing, self-discovery, and empowerment.
What I Love About Being a Therapist
I love the many gifts of being a therapist.
I love the gift of working with clients who demonstrate an openness to change, patience with the process, and motivation for different outcomes. The gift of laughter that is shared with clients to maintain perspective, self-compassion, and humor. The gift of observing clients’ transformation from hopelessness and despair to a narrative defined by confidence and courage. And the the gift of sharing an hour with clients who practice vulnerability by trusting me with intimate information concerning difficult experiences, cherished memories, and hopes for the future.
Most notably, I love the gift of celebrating successes, embracing challenges, and honoring changes that support more moments of joy and happiness.
Want to Know If Pamela Is the Right Therapist for You?
My Therapeutic Style
My practice incorporates an integrative approach that cultivates gentleness, acceptance, and compassion toward ourselves and others. Through a strong supportive working alliance, my clients are able to challenge undesirable symptoms and beliefs to begin their journey of healing.
My Education and Experience
I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
I have provided clinical services for various organizations and institutions, including higher education, nonprofit organizations, community psychiatry, federally qualified health programs, and private practice.
Over the past 16 years, I have completed extensive training on trauma, eating disorders, self-injurious behaviors, LGBTQ+ issues, and domestic violence. Specific treatment modalities that I incorporate into my practice include Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Solution-Focused Therapy techniques.
Additionally, as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), I often integrate relaxation skills, meditation exercises, and breathing techniques to facilitate calmness and overall wellness.
You don’t have to go through this alone. You don’t have to hurt alone. Through a strong and supportive therapeutic alliance, my clients are able to challenge undesirable symptoms and beliefs to begin their journey of healing.
Fun Facts about Pamela
I grew-up on a beef cattle farm as a vegetarian.
I aspired to be an entomologist when I was a child.
I spent 6 weeks in Guatemala studying Spanish and building wood stoves.
