You said no. Now you’re wondering if you should’ve just said yes.
Online trauma therapy for adults in New Jersey & Pennsylvania who grew up putting others first and still feel guilty when they speak up for themselves.
You might recognize yourself here.
You see the pattern & still do the same thing when someone is disappointed.
You notice when someone else is upset before you notice you’re overwhelmed.
You replay conversations at night, wondering if you sounded rude.
You write a simple text, then rewrite it three times to make sure it sounds okay.
You say yes before you’ve had a chance to ask yourself what you want.
You’re the person everyone leans on, and asking for help feels uncomfortable.
Maybe you learned early to keep the peace, pay attention to everyone else’s moods, or handle things on your own. In therapy, we can explore how those experiences still affect you and practice responding in ways that make room for what you need, too.
What therapy can look like
We might start with a conversation that’s still bothering you, like when someone pushed back after you set a boundary. We’ll talk through what came up for you and practice how you’d like to respond next time. If earlier experiences keep coming up in those moments, we can explore them at a pace that feels manageable.
Over time, that might look like letting a “no” stand without sending a follow-up apology, asking for help before you’re overwhelmed, or spending less of your evening replaying what you said.
Hi, I’m Siobhan.
I’m a licensed professional counselor. I work with adults who are used to taking care of everyone else and want to understand why it feels hard to speak up, ask for help, or let someone be disappointed.
My style is warm, engaged, and collaborative. We’ll make sense of what happens in the moments you feel stuck and talk about what you can try when they come up again. You can come in with one conversation you can’t stop thinking about. That’s enough to get started.
How we can work together
DBT-informed skills
We’ll practice tools for getting through intense emotions, asking clearly for what you need, and deciding how to respond when a conversation gets tense.
EMDR and attachment-focused EMDR
If painful memories still bring up strong reactions today, EMDR may be one option we explore. We’ll talk through what the process involves and spend time preparing before deciding together when you feel ready.
Attachment-focused therapy
We’ll explore how early relationships may have shaped what you expect from others and what you feel comfortable asking for. That might mean practicing how to tell someone you’re hurt or noticing when you take responsibility for their reaction.
What to expect when you reach out
1. Book a free 15–20 minute consultation.
We’ll talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’re looking for, and any questions you have about working together.
2. See how it feels to talk together.
You can share as much as you feel comfortable sharing. If you’d like to move forward, we can talk about scheduling your first session.
3. Start with what’s affecting you now.
In your first session, we’ll talk about what you’d like to change and decide together where to begin.
You can start with a conversation.
If you’re wondering whether this kind of therapy could help, let’s talk about what’s been weighing on you and what you’d like to be different.
Free 15–20 minute call. No pressure to schedule therapy.