Peyton Kinnaird, MA, LCMHCS, SEP
(she/her/hers)
I am encouraged by the resilience of the human spirit. We have an incredible ability to heal and make meaning out of our lives. Within a comfortable therapeutic relationship that is built on trust, the power of exploring one’s story is transformative and can provide the fuel for making courageous life changes. I work with a range of issues including life transitions and identity changes through life, depression, grief, anxiety, trauma ,attachment and relationship struggles. In our work I encourage deep exploration of Self. This can mean your emotions, thoughts, early relationships with caregivers, patterns in romantic relationships and the way these experiences shape you.
Trauma Resolution
I have 20 years of counseling experience much spent providing trauma recovery work. Trauma can be described as a one time life experience that was overwhelming or life threatening …it can also describe many repeated experiences over time that impact the way we see ourselves, others, our bodies and the world .. often this occurs in the context of relationships with a close other. Many clients I support have had confusing, lonely and scary experiences in early life. Being too alone with big, confusing feelings as a child can produce lifelong impacts. Restoring your relationship with self through connecting to your feelings and needs and the development of healthy boundaries is a core aspect of healing from relational trauma.
I offer EMDR as a powerful effective tool for desensitizing emotional suffering around difficult memories. EMDR can assist in restructuring shame, guilt, and pain around the way we see ourselves. I am trained in Somatic Experiencing, a body based approach for relieving the symptoms associated with PTSD and anxiety.
Relationships
I am experienced in treating adult attachment disruptions which can mean transforming lifelong patterns of difficulty in finding and sustaining satisfying, safe, romantic relationships. Attachment re-patterning lends insight and change into self sustaining negative patterns, increases tools for vetting healthy relationships, and works to repair core relationship with self. My approach to healing is steeped in neuroscience, based in the knowledge that we are hard wired for bonding and the brain is made for change. Additionally I use IFS, AEDP, and DARE to support transformational change.
In our work together I offer authenticity, humor and direct communication as a compliment to my knowledge base.
Supervision
I am a supervisor and am licensed to provide supervision for Clinical Mental Health Counselors working towards licensure by the NCBLCMHC.
I provide supervision and consultation to fully licensed professionals looking to deepen their work especially in the realm of gaining skill in offering transformational psychodynamic processes for healing to their clients.
My style is warm and direct with an emphasis on empowerment and supporting effective treatment.
I value knowledge, ethics and the co-creation of a relationally safe supervision relationship that promotes evolution of heart and mind in the work of healing. Through the co-regulation of a safe and courageous supervisory relationship, one can stretch their internal bounds in service of deeper healing for clients.
About Me
I am passionate about healing that happens in relationship.
First and foremost I am a seeker in search of my own healing. Like many “wounded healers” I was drawn to my life’s work as a counselor by the pull within myself to find relief and safety as a means for recovering from my own early losses. As a recovering insecure attacher, I know well the pain and shame of failed relationships in adulthood… the patterns that can feel like an unsolvable puzzle.
I remain dedicated to this work because I am deeply touched by the potency of healing through relationship. Starting with the therapeutic relationship and moving into increased ability to give and receive consistent loving connection with friends, family, chosen family and partners.