Spotlight on Jayna: From the importance of trauma-informed, to PR family love
“Trauma-informed” is an oft-used phrase these days. If you’re looking for a therapist, does it matter if your therapist is trauma-informed? What does it even mean? We connected with Jayna to learn about her background and approach to working with clients, and in the process, had a chance to deconstruct the phrase that’s popping up more and more. Jayna is accepting new clients. Contact us at hello@mezame.me to set up a free, 15-minute consultation!
Why did you decide to become a therapist?
Starting at an early age, I learned that there were people from my community who didn’t have access to the same resources and opportunities as others. As I got older, I learned more about privilege and systems of oppression, and I knew I wanted my career to focus on supporting people from communities of color.
One year, as I was leading a girls’ group at a community center, I developed a particularly close connection to one of the teenagers in my group, who was coping with depression. I made a referral to a therapist to facilitate the inner work that would help her heal. At this moment it was so clear to me that I wanted to be the therapist who got to work with this young woman, to help her heal, and to support her in moving toward living a life she loves.
What is your therapy style?
I integrate many therapeutic principles into my work with clients: mindfulness, trauma-informed, motivational interviewing, EMDR, CBT, person-centered, strength-based, multicultural, compassion-focused, and culturally-sensitive. My goal is to create a safe space for you, and I go at your pace. I have worked with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. My experiences span anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, grief and loss, domestic violence, women’s issues, racial identity, and more.
What does it mean for you to take a ‘trauma-informed approach’ to therapy?
For me, trauma-informed rests on having an individual reconnect with their body. When we think of BIPOC communities, our ancestors were very connected to their bodies, through spirituality, daily physical labor, dance, and more. With colonization and ongoing oppression, BIPOC individuals have become disconnected from their bodies over generations. As a trauma-informed therapist, I support clients to become more aware of how their bodies are responding to situations: the body’s response to the environment, the body’s response to what’s said or not said.
Using mindfulness and other forms of therapy, I work with clients to notice their body sensations, such as tingly feelings, aching or tension, a racing heart. I’m passionate about using EMDR with clients, as it’s a modality that facilitates this mind-body connection in a really powerful way.
Why do you feel it’s important to be trauma informed?
Our traumas affect how we operate on a daily basis–often unconsciously, through the body. The first step is to understand your trauma and how it affects you, how it shapes why you do the things you do. With this awareness, it’s possible for people to move past the emotional and physiological response to trauma, to break free from the limitations, and instead establish healthy patterns. From there, you can create joy.
What was the family you grew up in like?
I am a multi-heritage individual with a blended family–my mom is Puerto Rican, my biological father is Honduran, and the dad I grew up with is Italian American. I personally understand the beauty and complexities of navigating personal cultural identity, as I learned to navigate white and BIPOC spaces growing up. I am very close to my Puerto Rican family–nothing compares to my abuelita's alcapurrias!