You don't have to leave your shell —
you get to grow it.
Trauma-informed, attachment-focused therapy and training rooted in the belief that every person carries the capacity to heal.
💻 Telehealth — Serving Colorado
"Healing isn't about becoming someone different. It's about feeling safe enough, and strong enough, to become more fully yourself."
Complex trauma, anxiety, grief, neurodivergent & LGBTQIA+ affirming care
Post EMDR basic training, individual & group, counts toward EMDRIA Certification
EMDRIA & ASWB ACE approved continuing education
Trauma-informed support for schools & early childhood programs
Welcome to the Turtle Shell Therapy Institute
A space built on the conviction that healing isn't about becoming someone different. Whether you're a person navigating the weight of past experiences, a clinician deepening your trauma practice, or a school looking for a thoughtful partner
You've found a home here
Rooted in Safety.
Growing Toward the World.
Every turtle carries something remarkable: a shell that is simultaneously home, armor, and self. It doesn't separate them from the world. It's the very thing that makes it possible to move through the world.
The real work in therapy is about helping your nervous system build a foundation it can trust so that, in time, being out in the world feels less exposure and more like choice.
Learn About My Approach →Establishing trust in the nervous system and the therapist, developing internal and external resources, and helping your nervous system learn it is safe enough to feel and be authentically you.
Processing the experiences, beliefs, and relational wounds that shaped how you see yourself, others, and the world.
Integrating what has shifted internally and letting it ripple outward into relationships, identity, and daily life.
Find Your Place at Turtle Shell
Integrated Therapy
Adults, children, and adolescents navigating trauma, anxiety, grief, and identity. Neurodivergent & LGBTQIA+ affirming. All sessions via secure telehealth.
Learn more →EMDR Consultation
EMDR trained therapists deepening their practice. Individual & group. Counts toward EMDRIA Certification.
Learn more →CE Trainings
Evidence-based continuing education for social workers, counselors, and EMDR therapists. EMDRIA & ASWB ACE approved.
View trainings →ECE / K–12 Consultation
Trauma-informed, attachment-focused consultation for schools and early childhood programs.
Learn more →Who I Work With
EMDR sessions with James fundamentally changed my mindset and nervous system for the better. I had run into a plateau after decades of traditional therapy, exercise, and medication. It is an incredibly powerful way to take control over your intrusive thinking and negative self-talk coming from past trauma.
— Former ClientTurtle Shell Values
Rooted in the NASW Code of Ethics and One Welfare
Guiding every session, training, and consultation.
Service
Our primary commitment is to living beings in need, in all their forms.
Social Justice
We challenge inequity and injustice, regardless of species or form of life.
Dignity & Worth
Every life holds inherent worth and deserves to be treated with dignity.
Relationships
Healing happens in connection. Relationships are central to everything we do.
Integrity
We operate with transparency, honesty, and accountability.
Competence
We practice within our areas of expertise and remain committed to growth.
A Proud Partner!
Check out this resource for LGBTQIA+ people and families
"Feel comfortable inside and outside of your shell."