Simone Adkins, LMFT, helps women in Benicia, Vallejo, and the Bay Area heal from relationship trauma. Combining somatic therapy with deep emotional support to guide lasting recovery. Somatic Therapist Helping Women Heal from Relationship Trauma in Benicia and Vallejo, CA Because the most important relationship you’ll ever create is the one with yourself I’m Simone Adkins, LMFT, a therapist in Benicia, CA, serving women in Benicia, Vallejo, and throughout the Bay Area. My work centers on helping women heal from relationship trauma — the kind that often starts in childhood and shapes our self-concept, how we show up in friendships, with romantic partners, and in professional settings. I believe the most important relationship you’ll ever build is the one with yourself, because it’s the foundation for every connection that follows. In my practice, I use a somatic therapy approach that blends nervous system regulation, body awareness, and compassionate presence to help you restore safety, trust, and self-worth, so you can create relationships that feel healthy, supportive, and real. My favorites: Laughing, connecting with people whom I feel safe with, the ocean, music, trying new foods, family fun nights at home, dancing, yoga, writing poetry/ short stories and teaching. Read More 1/1 How I Work This is the hard part: Talking about myself. How do you capture life experiences in a summary? Well, here goes my best effort: I believe healing must include all aspects of our beings - or at least as much as we possibly can considering that our beings are dynamic, ever changing and sometimes difficult to define. Nonetheless, starting with acknowledging our many parts/ selves/ aspects is at least a step toward honoring and accepting ourselves. The heart of my work aims to do this. I love to support others with acknowledging, accepting, trusting and loving themselves bottoms ups, tops down, outside in, inside out and loving the part of yourself that's beyond the material, beyond attachment and beyond identity. As I was taught early on: The healing is in the relationship and I've carried this with me because, it aligned so appropriately with how I've always viewed myself and the world...through the lens that everyone/ thing is in relationship with everyone/ thing. So, I've carried this statement with me and no matter the techniques, theoretical approaches and countless studies, I cultivate relationships with my clients and try to do so - even if it's just for a moment - with all whom I encounter. Education 2015 - 2019 Master of Arts in Counseling Saybrook University, California 2010 - 2014 Bachelor of Science in Human Services University of Phoenix, California License & Certifications Licensure Information Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, 137157 California Board of Behavioral Sciences Havening Techniques Certified Practitioner Havening.org Yoga Certification, RYT® 200 Integral Yoga Academy, 200-hour Teacher Training San Francisco, CA Somatic EMDR Therapy (TM) Somatic EMDR Therapist theembodylab.com My Intentions and Commitments to You I intend and commit to: Develop a safe relationship with you. Help you reduce internal suffering. Support you to increase your capacity for self-attunement and self-acceptance. Humbly walk alongside you. Help you to recognize and heal issues that make you feel stuck or limited. I intend and commit to: Honor your sense of freedom over and within your life. Guide you to act and make choices that align with your values. Encourage the ripple effect that happens as you create healthy relationships with yourself, with others and your world. An Encouragement to Find Your People "The best advice I can offer anyone breathing in this world; find people that make you both soft and strong. People that hold you in tears and hold you accountable. People that show up to listen or help you fight. People that create safe places to land in a world that banks on your trauma. People that owe you nothing and still give you everything. People that see you even when they don’t see your path." - Dr. Ashley Nash, PhD, NCC

Individual trauma counseling for women recovering from emotionally abusive relationships. Serving Benicia, Vallejo, and nearby communities. Body-centered (somatic) therapy to heal trauma responses, release stress, restore safety, and reclaim your life. Trauma Counseling for Women in Benicia and Vallejo, CA Trauma Symptoms Relationship Challenges - difficulty with feeling close, "people pleasing", communication, accepting/ setting boundaries, toxic/ abusive relationships cycles Trust Issues - fear of being betrayed, abandoned, hurt, feeling guarded, self-sabotaging Low self-esteem/ worth - believing negative thoughts about yourself, self-doubt, accepting mistreatment Distorted self-concept - feeling purposeless and unclear about who you are or your place in the world Dissociation - feeling disconnected from your body, emotions, memories or reality, "zoned out", numbness Hypervigilance - feeling on guard and highly alert to potential threats Avoidance - avoiding people, places, activities, conversations; ignoring emotions, thoughts, memories, feelings Intrusions - unwanted memories, thoughts, dreams/ nightmares, flashbacks Negative emotions - feeling excessive guilt, self-blame, shame, worthlessness Hyperarousal - emotional overwhelm, irritability, sleep disturbance, feeling on edge, easily startled, impulsivity Hypoarousal - feeling shut down, fatigued, withdrawn, empty, disconnected "Trauma is not what happens to you. It is what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you." - Gabor Mate GET STARTED TODAY REQUEST A FREE CONSULT Healing from Emotional Abuse I immediately focus on establishing trust with you to help both your mind and body experience safety and connection within our therapeutic relationship. You'll learn how the body stores stress and trauma and how this affects your survival responses. You'll learn to attune to your thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations and gain the tools to respond to these important cues with self-compassion. We clarify your emotional needs and core values to serve as anchors as you reconnect with and learn to accept the hidden or rejected parts of yourself. Interpersonal Trauma Counseling Can Help You With... Increasing self-awareness Trusting yourself and your gut instincts Understanding repetitive patterns Allowing space for unpleasant emotions and sensations Using the body to respond to your stress response/ mood Reducing anxiety symptoms Clarifying and verbalizing your needs Reducing "people-pleasing" Developing self-esteem & self-acceptance Valuing and respecting yourself Setting and consistently holding your boundaries Separating who you are from your choices and experiences to reduce shame Living in alignment with your values Experiencing emotional intimacy Having relationships while still staying true to yourself REQUEST A FREE CONSULT

One-on-one trauma counseling for women recovering from unhealthy or abusive relationships. Serving Benicia, Vallejo, and nearby communities. Gentle, body-centered therapy to release stress, restore safety, and reclaim your life. Somatic Techniques for Attachment Trauma Counseling in Benicia and Vallejo, CA If you're dealing with the symptoms of stress, anxiety or trauma, you might notice physical sensations or even symptoms that are similar to feeling physically sick. Talking in therapy is a powerful way for women to share their stories, gain new insights and perspectives. It can help you feel seen, heard and understood in a safe space. But, talking mostly attends to the mind and often doesn't effectively release and heal the emotional pain, stress and trauma stored in our bodies. Somatic or body-based strategies can help us powerfully attune to our embodied experiences to release stuck emotional pain, reprocess trauma and rewire the brain's stress response . Including strategies such as Somatic EMDR*, Havening Techniques, breathwork and yoga can help to reunite and harmonize the mind and body to reprocess trauma, relieve symptoms and manage stress for more effective progress and long-term relief. *EMDR: Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing Why Somatic Approaches? Traumatic Reprocessing & Mind-Body Connection Somatic EMDR* and Havening Techniques are psychosensory approaches designed to process and reprocess trauma and stress stored in the body, which can reduce the intensity and frequency of symptoms or even resolve them completely. These approaches also support anxiety, phobias, limited beliefs and provide preventative stress management. They involve bi-lateral eye movements, touch (self-applied) or body movements to alter thoughts, moods and behaviors for long-term healing. *EMDR: Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing CONNECT WITH ME NOW Movement and Breathwork Gentle movement e.g., yoga and breathwork are powerful ways to alleviate stress or anxiety symptoms and release emotions and trauma responses trapped in the body. Your nervous system is constantly working to return to a balanced state. Movement and breathing exercises can support your body's ability to return to and remain in a zone of safety and connection. Grounding and Co-Regulation Including grounding techniques in our work together help increase your ability to stay connected to the present moment and maintain emotional stability. Co-regulation is a powerful tool backed by science, which supports your body's sense of safety by using the power of another's emotional state to manage your own. CONNECT WITH ME NOW

Therapy for women suffering from anxiety such as racing thoughts, uncontrollable worry, restlessness, irritability, sleep problems, shortness of breath, and physical symptoms. Anxiety Counseling for Women in Benicia and Vallejo, CA Anxiety is common for women who have experienced trauma in relationships. In fact, anxiety is the main reason why the women I support seek therapy in the first place. They usually don't realize that anxiety can be an outcome of trauma - particularly - interpersonal trauma. My approach focuses on both the physical (somatic) and mental anxious distress that women experience to provide more effective and long-lasting relief. BOOK TODAY Anxiety Symptoms Anxiety is a natural survival response when the brain detects stress or danger. When we repeatedly feel unsafe or experience chronic stress, this response can become overactive even when we're actually safe. This can lead to anxiety disorders and t he symptoms may include: Racing thoughts Excessive worry Irritability A sense of dread or impending doom Feeling restless, nervous, on edge Tightness in the throat, chest, head, face Racing heart Shortness of breath Stomach upset Sleep disturbances Muscle tension, weakness, numbness Trouble concentrating Dissociation Trembling or shaking "People pleasing" behaviors GET STARTED TODAY Trauma Counseling to Manage Anxiety Together, we'll work to support you with feeling safe inside of your own body. You'll learn about the triggers that activate your stress response and how to use your body to attend to it and eventually reduce and possibly prevent anxious distress. You'll learn to recognize the cues that your body gives you, effectively attend to those signals and include daily practices that empower you to manage stress and prevent anxiety from constricting your quality of life. Further, exploring and reprocessing the traumatic experiences that you and your body were exposed to can reinforce the strategies that we will use to increase your distress tolerance and restore your body's sense of safety and balance. REQUEST A FREE CONSULT

Therapy to help women heal from trauma caused by relationships. Somatic-based counseling to heal trauma caused by emotional abuse and your rebuild self-trust and self-worth. Attuned Counseling Services is located in Benicia, CA and serving Vallejo, Fairfield, and the Bay Area. Relationship Trauma & Somatic Therapy for Women in Benicia, CA & Vallejo, CA I help women heal attachment wounds, rebuild self-trust and their relationship with themselves CONNECT WITH ME TODAY I’m Simone Adkins, a somatic trauma therapist serving women in Benicia, Vallejo, and online in the surrounding Bay Area and California. I help women heal from the deep impact of relationship trauma, which often starts in childhood and influence how we relate to ourselves and others later in life. Those first relationships set unconscious patterns that show up in friendships, romantic partners, and even at work. In our work together, prioritize healing your most important relationship of all — the one with yourself. Through a somatic therapy approach, we move at your pace to restore self-trust and self-worth, creating a foundation for healthier, more fulfilling relationships in every area of your life. Get to Know Me Better Learn more about me or schedule a free 20-minute consultation to find out if my specialties are fit for you. Not ready for a consultation? Send a message here or call me at (707) 200-8222 Simone Adkins, Owner Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) Somatic EMDR Therapist Certified Havening Techniques ® Practitioner Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT® 200) BOOK YOUR CONSULT Come in. Connect. Heal. Does any of this sound familiar? Confusion when you experience kindness and hurt from the same person? Low self-esteem, inadequacy, not feeling good enough? Mood swings, emotional outbursts or feelings numb? Exhaustion from gaslighting, manipulation and blame? Second-guessing yourself or what you heard, felt, saw and know to be true? Difficulty saying "no", setting boundaries and "people pleasing"? SCHEDULE TODAY Constant feelings of guilt and shame? Perfectionism, over-achieving or feeling the need to prove yourself? Feeling trapped or powerless within your relationships? Loneliness and feelings of isolation? Suppressing emotions or difficulty identifying and expressing feelings? Headaches, stomach issues, sleep disturbance, tension, bad dreams? I Can Support You With... Healthy Connections & Trust Issues Anxiety & Trauma Symptoms Freedom from Stuck Patterns Accepting Yourself Outcomes of Interpersonal Trauma Counseling Experience safety and validation Understand your responses/ reactions Develop healthy ways to cope Understand & heal from trauma Identify harmful patterns Trust your body's wisdom Manage anxiety & trauma symptoms Increase distress tolerance Feel empowered over your life Set & stick to healthy boundaries Accept & love yourself Clarify your values & needs Understand & express emotions Communicate assertively Most importantly: develop a trusting relationship with yourself to determine how to develop and navigate your relationships with others I'M READY NOW Your opinion of you... is the most important opinion of you Address 110 East D, Ste L, Benicia, CA Phone 707-200-8222 Email info@attunedcounselingservices.com Connect

Specialized therapy treatment for women dealing with anxiety and trauma symptoms caused by harmful relationships and social interactions. Understanding Interpersonal Trauma and Emotional Abuse for Women in Benicia and Vallejo, CA REQUEST A FREE CONSULT What is Attachment Trauma? Attachment, Interpersonal or Relationship Trauma is harm or abuse caused by other people within relationships or social interactions - both intentionally and unintentionally. It can occur at any age but often starts during childhood and, many of us experience multiple interpersonal and other types of traumas throughout our lifespan. The more well-known or acknowledged forms of interpersonal trauma are physical and sexual abuse or bullying. But, people commonly experience trauma from emotional abuse, neglect, betrayal, criticism, rejection, gaslighting, humiliation, racism, abandonment, or if caregivers weren't able to effectively respond to our emotional needs. Effects of Emotional Abuse and Attachment Trauma Invisible (non-physical) traumas caused by emotional abuse and psychological abuse are so subtle that many people live their lives unconsciously traumatized yet believing that they have not experienced trauma . This is especially true when the source of the trauma involves trusted loved ones or narcissistic abuse occurs. This often leads to difficulty with self-trust, shame, guilt, people pleasing tendencies, anxiety, perfectionism, depression, confusion, low self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, suppression/ avoidance, hypervigilance and repeatedly engaging in abusive or toxic relationships. Why Interpersonal Trauma Counseling? REQUEST A FREE CONSULT I specialize in treating emotional abuse and relationship trauma because of: How common it is - particularly for women How it can significantly affect so many areas of our lives How often it goes overlooked and undetected Despite all of this, healing and wholeness is still an option I'm here for you to: Help you recognize how harmful relationships and social interactions harmed or limited you Support you with healing and trusting your relationship with yourself Interrupt repeat toxic relationship patterns and reduce feelings of guilt, shame and self-judgment As a result, you can be empowered to create and engage in relationships with others with more safety and authenticity. LEARN MORE HERE

Resource about emotional abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, narcissistic abuse, toxic and repeat relationship patterns that offers offering clarity and education. Walking on Eggshells in Relationships: Understanding Gaslighting and Emotional Manipulation Walking on Eggshells in a Relationship? Get Clarity While You’re Still in the Relationship If you feel like you’re replaying conversations in your head, can’t sleep, and can’t make sense of what’s happening — you’re not imagining it. Maybe you do know what's happening but don't know what to do about it and "just leave" isn't that simple. What you’re living through is real. I know because I’ve gone through it too . Many times. I wrote this resource exists for anyone looking for ways to handle gaslighting and emotional manipulation without pressure to leave or judgement. I t also gives you clarity to understand how these dynamics develop to reduce internalizing, shame and self-blame. LEARN MORE ABOUT WALKING ON EGGSHELLS Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, and Why You Feel So Confused: What The Resource is About This isn’t therapy. It’s not a program. It’s not a list of steps or advice about what you should do. It’s clarity about what’s actually happening — the confusion, the vicious cycles, the self-doubt, the second-guessing, the moments where everything feels unstable and chaotic. People describe this as: Feeling like you’re losing your mind because your reality keeps changing One minute it feels fine, the next it doesn’t What you know you said becomes “I didn’t say that” Everything feels like a misunderstanding — but only when your feelings are hurt Trying to explain yourself and ending up exhausted and unheard You know something is deeply wrong, but when you try to talk about it, you still end up feeling blamed or dismissed. UNDERSTAND THE PATTERNS YOU'RE IN If Your Relationship Makes You Doubt Yourself, This Resource is For You This is for you if: Something feels wrong but too confusing to name You can name it but keep getting sucked into the same interactions You feel like you're talking to a "brick wall" over and over again You’re second-guessing yourself and your experiences You want clarity before you decide about therapy or anything else involving your relationship You want to understand why these vicious cycles keep happening and how they began You want to hear from someone who can relate to you and know you're not alone This may not be for you if: You’re in immediate danger — support and safety come first. Get help HERE . You want a diagnosis or clinical advice from using this resource You want someone to tell you whether to stay or leave You want this to be a substitute for professional therapy Why Gaslighting Makes It Hard to Trust Yourself The confusion isn’t random. It has mechanics — cycles, patterns, and dynamics that make your reality feel unstable. And because there are moments of love, apology, promise, or warmth, your hope stays alive even when your certainty disappears. That’s why you stay. That’s why clarity doesn’t suddenly make decisions easy. That’s why trusting yourself feels out of reach even when you know something’s off. Understanding what’s happening doesn’t fix everything. But it does stop the internal gaslighting. That matters. LEARN HOW THESE PATTERNS WORK How Emotional Abuse Gets Normalized and Repeats in Relationships Emotional abuse is one of the most common — and least recognized — forms of harm in relationships. Not because it’s rare. Because it’s subtle. Because it doesn’t always look like abuse. And because it’s been widely normalized as "dysfunctional". It rarely starts with cruelty. It starts with connection. With intensity. With feeling seen. And over time, it conditions you to doubt yourself, override your instincts, and adapt to someone else’s reality just to keep the relationship intact. What makes this especially hard to recognize is that many people were unconsciously groomed for these dynamics early in life. Not intentionally. Not because something was “wrong” with them. But because they grew up in environments where love came with instability, emotional responsibility, silence, or self-abandonment. So when these patterns show up again later, they can register as familiar. Even if they register as harmful the earlier experiences make it difficult to trust your gut. That’s how emotional abuse repeats — not because people choose harm, but because their nervous system already learned how to survive it. This is why confusion is often the first symptom. Why people second-guess themselves instead of trusting what they feel. Why they blame themselves instead of questioning the pattern. Why they stay stuck trying harder instead of stepping back. Gaslighting, shifting rules, blame, emotional withdrawal, sudden warmth followed by distance — these dynamics are sneaky by design. They keep you oriented around the other person’s reality instead of your own. I wrote Walking on Eggshells because people deserve language for what’s happening — whether they ever step into therapy or not. Understanding these patterns doesn’t pressure you to leave. It doesn’t tell you what to do. It doesn’t require a diagnosis or a plan. It simply gives you back your reality and offers suggestions for how to stay anchored to it. And once you have that, you get to decide what comes next — on your own terms. GET YOUR REALITY BACK NOW

Therapy services and resources for women dealing with toxic or abusive relationship patterns that lead to anxiety, stress, low self-esteem and trauma symptoms. Releasing the Past: Somatic Therapy for Relationship Trauma An approach that moves beyond talking to support healing relationship patterns that began long ago. As a somatic trauma therapist in Benicia, CA, serving Vallejo and nearby communities, I work with women navigating the lasting effects of relationship trauma. Also, known as developmental attachment trauma, those first connections unconsciously set blueprints for how you experience friendships, romantic relationships, and even professional settings - from early childhood experiences that shape how you relate later in life - to painful partnerships and patterns that leave you feeling unseen and unsafe In our one-on-one sessions, we focus on rebuilding the most important relationship you’ll ever have — the one with yourself. I help you reconnect with your body’s wisdom to restore internal safety, trust yourself and improve self-worth. Together, we use body-centered tools that release tension, regulate your nervous system, and create space for lasting change. Click the button below to learn more today: REQUEST A FREE CONSULT Interpersonal Trauma Support for women navigating the harm that often occurs in relationships and social interactions. LEARN MORE Trauma Counseling Therapy that provides a safe space to process and heal from traumatic relational experiences . LEARN MORE Anxiety Counseling Counseling to address the symptoms and underlying cause(s) of anxiety and stress . LEARN MORE Somatic (Body) Methods Techniques that include the body for more effective and long-term healing. LEARN MORE Get the support that you deserve today with Relationship Trauma Counseling in Benicia and Vallejo, CA REQUEST A FREE CONSULT 707-200-8222

Connect with Simone Adkins at Attuned Counseling Services today to book a free consultation or get answers to your questions about therapy for anxiety and trauma. Let's Connect Today! Book directly here: REQUEST A FREE CONSULT Or... Complete the form below and we'll find a time that works best for you. 110 East D St., Ste L Benicia CA, 94510 Call Simone 707-200-8222 Email Simone info@attunedcounselingservices.com Connect with Simone First Name Last Name Email Phone Message Send Thanks for submitting!

Questions about what to expect from Attuned Counseling Services? Take a look at these frequently asked questions and feel free to reach out for more information. Frequently Asked Questions: Get the support that you deserve today with Somatic Trauma and Anxiety Counseling in Benicia and Vallejo, CA BOOK A CONSULTATION NOW 1. What is your fee? Do you accept my insurance? My fee is $175/ session. While I don't accept insurance, I do accept flexible (FSA) or health spending account (HSA) benefits, which some people use to reduce their out-of-pocket costs or to pay for their services in full. You can ask your insurance provider if you have out-of-network (OON) coverage, which may reimburse you for a portion of the service fee. IMPORTANT: You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers must give persons who don’t have or will not use insurance an estimate of the expected charges for therapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including therapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 985-3059. 2. What is the free 20-minute consultation? This is a virtual video call to explore if we are fit for working together. Think of it as a vibe-check. It helps us to feel each other out before starting a formal therapeutic relationship. The consult gives us both an idea if we are a fit based on your therapy goals, my style, your expectations about therapy, fees and payment policies, scheduling and cancellation policies, and other general questions that you may have. Please remember that this call is not a therapy session or meant to provide you with therapeutic support. 3. What happens after the consultation? If we decide to move forward, we'll set an appointment to start the intake/ assessment phase of therapy. You'll complete online paperwork before the appointment. These first steps of treatment include what's called informed consent, which requires your written permission for participation and explains how we will engage in therapy. The intake phase involves sharing past and current personal information about you related to your overall health and other important details. This phase is important for the therapy process because it gives me insight into the various factors affecting your life. *NOTE: If you and I decide that someone else may better fit your needs, I'm happy to provide other resources to support you in your journey.* 4. What happens after the intake phase? We work together to identify what you'd like to get out of therapy and we discuss various strategies to work toward those goals. This is called a treatment plan and serves as our guideline for tracking progress as we enter mid-phase of treatment. I may also ask you to repeat certain questionnaires and provide me with feedback to help us determine if we need to update the treatment plan or change our strategies. 5. How many sessions will I need or how long does therapy take? Everyone is unique and the number of sessions or length of time depends on many factors. For example, how long it takes for us to build rapport, your level of engagement, the frequency of the sessions, your personal history, life situations, applying the new strategies in your daily life and so much more affect how you will respond to treatment. I invite you to discuss any concerns you have about your therapeutic experience with me to explore your options. 6. How does therapy come to an end? There are many circumstances that can lead to ending a therapeutic relationship. Ideally, it ends because you've met your goals and no longer want or need my support. If so, we'll develop a plan to end treatment and maintain your progress. Sometimes you or I may determine that another provider can better support you. Or, there are times where people aren't ready for the difficult work that therapy can involve and choose to try again later. Scheduling changes and life circumstances can also result in the need to end therapy or switch to another provider. Regardless of why it ends, my intention is to support you with a positive therapeutic experience. 7. Why is it important to work with a licensed therapist for my mental health needs? Licensure with the state demonstrates that a therapist has completed the requirements - including a minimum of more than 3000 experience hours - to legally and ethically provide mental health treatment to the individuals they support. A licensed clinician must continue their education to keep their license in good standing, keep their skills fresh and comply with the most current laws and ethics that apply to their field of practice. While unregulated professionals may offer certain benefits, licensed therapists are held to a high standard of care and accountability to promote your best interests and well-being. I invite you to check the licensure status for me and any other therapists that you are considering here: https://search.dca.ca.gov/. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me here . BOOK A CONSULT 707-200-8222