A woman with long dark hair and a white sleeveless turtleneck top sitting on a green chair in front of a white wall with a macramé wall hanging and a potted plant in the background.

a moment of clarity

All things trauma healing …

One of my passions as a trauma therapist is educating others on how life experiences shape the nervous system, influence patterns of behavior, and impact our sense of self. In this blog, I share tools, concepts, and mind-body practices that support trauma recovery, emotional resilience, and deep, embodied healing.

Must reads

Blog
Trauma Therapy Happens in Phases—And Slower Really Is Faster
Trauma Therapy Happens in Phases—And Slower Really Is Faster

[6-min read] Learn how trauma therapy works using a 3-phase approach rooted in Somatic Experiencing (SE), IFS therapy, and EMDR. Discover why slower is faster when healing from trauma, and what real trauma-informed therapy looks like—whether you're seeking parts work, inner child healing, or a trauma therapist near you.

Read More →
What No One Tells You About Trauma
What No One Tells You About Trauma

[5-min read] Trauma isn’t what happened to you—it’s what happened inside of you as a result. If you’ve ever felt stuck, shut down, anxious, or chronically overwhelmed, your nervous system might be holding onto more than you realize. This blog unpacks what trauma really is, why it gets stored in the body, and how somatic therapy helps you heal it at the root.

Read More →
Why Talking About Trauma Won’t Heal It—And Here’s What Does.
Why Talking About Trauma Won’t Heal It—And Here’s What Does.

[6-min read] You can’t think your way out of trauma—because trauma doesn’t live in the mind, it lives in the body. If you’ve been talking about the same wounds in therapy for years without feeling real change, this blog explains why that is—and what actually works when it comes to healing trauma at the root.

Read More →

explore by topic

Healing Trauma Through Parts Work: How IFS Therapy Helps You Reclaim Your Inner World
IFS & Parts Work, IFS Therapy, Trauma Recovery, California Mental Health, Somatic Therapy Clara Mackinlay IFS & Parts Work, IFS Therapy, Trauma Recovery, California Mental Health, Somatic Therapy Clara Mackinlay

Healing Trauma Through Parts Work: How IFS Therapy Helps You Reclaim Your Inner World

[5-min read] Discover how IFS therapy—also known as parts work or parts therapy—helps with inner child healing and resolving trauma by working with your internal parts. Learn how to identify your Managers, Exiles, and Firefighters, and connect with your core Self for lasting transformation. If you’re searching for an IFS therapist near me or want to understand how trauma and IFS are connected, this guide breaks it down simply and compassionately.

Read More
Trauma, Healing, and Becoming a Therapist: My Mental Health Story
From the Chair, Therapist Story, Trauma Recovery, California Mental Health, Somatic Therapy Clara Mackinlay From the Chair, Therapist Story, Trauma Recovery, California Mental Health, Somatic Therapy Clara Mackinlay

Trauma, Healing, and Becoming a Therapist: My Mental Health Story

[8-min read] I didn’t become a therapist because life was easy—I became one because I had to fight like hell to survive it. This is the story of how trauma cracked me open, how healing pieced me back together, and how I now help others do the same. Plus, some fun facts about me and lots of pictures—I think it’s only fair you know some things about me too!

Read More
null

in-person

A closed silver MacBook laptop resting on a light-colored fabric sofa with colorful cushions in the background.

online

A young woman with curly red hair, wearing an orange sleeveless top and pants, sitting cross-legged in a white armchair, using a laptop in a cozy, well-decorated room.

hybrid

Somatic trauma Therapy that fits your needs & schedule