Trauma Therapy in Marin County and Throughout California
Nervous system–informed psychotherapy for adults. Telehealth across CA, with limited in-person availability in Marin.
Button: Book an Initial Session
Secondary link: Explore My Approach
Trauma-Informed Therapy That Includes the Whole You
If you’re living with anxiety, chronic stress, overwhelm, or the lingering impact of trauma, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by thinking your way through it. I offer trauma-informed psychotherapy that supports both mind and body, helping you build nervous system regulation, resilience, and meaningful change over time.
My work is grounded in a nervous system approach to trauma healing. Together, we’ll slow things down, track what’s happening in your body, and create a steady path toward more ease, clarity, and self-trust.
H2
How I Work: A Nervous System Approach
I integrate evidence-informed approaches that support trauma healing and regulation, including:
H3
Somatic Experiencing Therapy
Somatic Experiencing® is a gentle, body-based approach that helps resolve trauma and stress patterns held in the nervous system. Rather than re-telling your story over and over, we work with present-moment sensations and build your capacity to feel safe, grounded, and connected.
Link: Learn more about Somatic Experiencing therapy
H3
EMDR-Informed Therapy and the Flash Technique
EMDR and the Flash Technique are structured methods that can reduce the emotional charge of distressing memories. I use these tools thoughtfully and collaboratively, with attention to pacing and nervous system readiness.
Link: Learn more about EMDR therapy
H3
Safe and Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a listening-based intervention designed to support regulation, social engagement, and reduced anxiety. For some clients, SSP can be a helpful complement to psychotherapy and nervous system work.
Link: Learn more about Safe and Sound Protocol therapy
H2
What I Help With
People reach out to me for support with:
-
Trauma and developmental / attachment trauma
-
Anxiety, panic, and chronic stress
-
Overwhelm, burnout, and nervous system dysregulation
-
High sensitivity and reactivity
-
Depression and emotional shutdown
-
Relationship patterns rooted in trauma (individual therapy)
H2
What You Can Expect in Therapy With Me
Therapy with me is collaborative, paced, and practical. I’ll help you understand what your nervous system is doing under stress—and how to shift it. Many clients begin to notice:
-
Less reactivity and more steadiness
-
A stronger capacity to handle triggers
-
Improved sleep, mood, and clarity
-
More self-compassion and internal safety
-
Greater connection to body signals and needs
H2
Telehealth Across California + Limited In-Person in Marin
Most of my work is telehealth with adults throughout California, including Marin and the Bay Area. I also offer a limited number of in-person sessions in Marin County.
Button: Schedule an Initial Session
Secondary link: Contact Me
H2
FAQ
H3
Do you offer telehealth in California?
Yes. I provide telehealth psychotherapy for adults throughout California, and I offer limited in-person availability in Marin County.
H3
What is Somatic Experiencing therapy?
Somatic Experiencing® is a body-based approach that helps resolve trauma and chronic stress by working with nervous system patterns and restoring regulation.
H3
Do you take insurance?
I’m an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill if you’d like to seek reimbursement through your insurance plan (depending on your benefits).
H3
How do I get started?
The simplest next step is to schedule an initial session. If you have a brief logistical question first, you can also reach out through my contact page.
H2
Begin
If you’re ready for trauma-informed therapy that supports real change—emotionally and physiologically—I invite you to schedule an initial session.
Button: Book an Initial Session
ABOUT
My work is oriented around resetting the healing capacity we all carry within ourselves.
CLINICAL AREAS
I specialize in a number of therapy techniques to address life’s challenging issues.
RESOURCES
A complete list of links and helpful resources to further help guide individuals and families.
WELCOME
Dr. Kate Brennan
Hi I’m Dr. Kate Brennan, I practice psychotherapy in Marin County. You are not alone if you are feeling overwhelmed, run down, irritable, sad or depressed. At times we may find ourselves worn down by the weight of everything. Chronic stress can take its toll on the body and mind. The good news is that our nervous systems are wired to respond to stress. However under certain circumstances we may become so overwhelmed that it’s difficult to regain a sense of wellbeing. You may feel tired, worn out, sad, irritable, forgetful, anxious or depressed. Yet hardwired within us is the capacity to move back out of this state and into resiliency once again. I have been practicing psychotherapy in Marin County for over 25 years supporting clients to move out of overwhelm and back into their natural state of resiliency.
CLINICAL AREAS
We specialize in a number of therapy techniques to address life’s challenging issues.
somatic experiencing
Trauma can effect us all at some point.
safe and sound protocol
Relieve anxiety and heal trauma
EMDR/Flash Technique
Discover the effective technique.
Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Stress and anxiety can be overwhelming.
FAQ’s
Here’s some answers to the frequently asked questions
What is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is a body-oriented therapeutic model applied in multiple professions and professional settings—psychotherapy, medicine, coaching, teaching, and physical therapy—for healing trauma and other stress disorders. It is based on a multidisciplinary intersection of physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics and has been clinically applied for more than four decades. It is the life’s work of Dr. Peter A. Levine.
The SE approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma. It offers a framework to assess where a person is “stuck” in the fight, flight or freeze responses and provides clinical tools to resolve these fixated physiological states. SE provides effective skills appropriate to a variety of healing professions including mental health, medicine, physical and occupational therapies, bodywork, addiction treatment, first response, education, and others.
What can cause trauma?
Trauma may begin as acute stress from a perceived life-threat or as the end product of cumulative stress. Both types of stress can seriously impair a person’s ability to function with resilience and ease. Trauma may result from a wide variety of stressors such as accidents, invasive medical procedures, sexual or physical assault, emotional abuse, neglect, war, natural disasters, loss, birth trauma, or the corrosive stressors of ongoing fear and conflict.
How does Somatic Experiencing work?
The Somatic Experiencing approach facilitates the completion of self-protective motor responses and the release of thwarted survival energy bound in the body, thus addressing the root cause of trauma symptoms. This is approached by gently guiding clients to develop increasing tolerance for difficult bodily sensations and suppressed emotions.
Dr. Levine was inspired to study stress on the animal nervous system when he realized that animals are constantly under threat of death, yet show no symptoms of trauma. What he discovered was that trauma has to do with the third survival response to perceived life threat, which is freeze. When fight and flight are not options, we freeze and immobilize, like “playing dead.” This makes us less of a target. However, this reaction is time-sensitive, in other words, it needs to run its course, and the massive energy that was prepared for fight or flight gets discharged, through shakes and trembling. If the immobility phase doesn’t complete, then that charge stays trapped, and, from the body’s perspective, it is still under threat. The Somatic Experiencing method works to release this stored energy and turn off this threat alarm that causes severe dysregulation and dissociation. SE helps people understand this body response to trauma and work through a “body first” approach to healing.
Do you provide Superbills for insurance?
Yes – Superbills are sent monthly to clients. Clients can then submit to their insurance for out of network mental health care reimbursement.
What online software to you use?
Simple Practice. Simple Practice is HIPAA compliant software for psychotherapists that allows clients to schedule, upload and fill out out documents.
CONNECT
Address
558 San Anselmo Ave.
San Anselmo, CA 94960
KATE BRENNAN LMFT, PsyD
SOMATIC EXPERIENCING PRACTITIONER, EMDR
License mfc31122
