Individual Clients
I have never met another therapist who has helped me as much as Terri has. Her confidence and knowledge about trauma gave me hope that she could help free me from my past.
Meeting Terri last year was the slice of light I was looking for in a dark brain with dark thoughts. Her specialties sparked my initial search to her but once meeting her my life began to soar again! Terri is compassionate, funny and full of patience. I always look forward to our weekly sessions. I am so grateful I found Terri during a time of need because she is nothing but positive, supportive and even affordable. Thank u Terri. See you soon!!
Because of Terri, I have gone from barely being able to leave my house to traveling the world. Childhood trauma triggered an extreme panic disorder that was crippling. I tried everything! I even went through an anti-anxiety program at one of the nation’s leading universities. It honestly wasn’t until I started seeing Terri that I started seeing concrete results. I am especially grateful for her because she pulls from so many different therapeutic approaches. She is results oriented. If you want a therapist who just sits and listens with the occasional nod, she’s not the therapist for you. If you want someone well-versed in the neuroplasticity of the brain – who knows how to help you re-wire your brain to calm and/or turn off both biological and psychological triggers, she’s the therapist you want! I don’t know where I would be without her. (Probably at home. Deeply depressed.) I owe sooo much to her!
Despite a life of resiliency-building and good emotional work, my complex, crippling trauma (PTSD) — deeply rooted in varied sources — grew faster than I did. It caused decades of hyper-vigilance, exhaustion from placating others, chronic pain, constant fear of anyone’s anger, terror of speaking for myself. By the time I found Terri, PTSD had me just falling apart. I was hair-triggered by peoples’ slightest sharp voices and so many things — to sickened stomach, uncontrollable crying for hours, panic-filled obsessing. I was sure I faced years of therapy, and feared nothing would help.
To my greatest joy, in less than 6 months Terri has helped me CURE a lifetime’s worth of PTSD and allowed my strength to step forth and shine! With her keen knowledge of how trauma lives in the brain, and with her experience, compassion and skill, she helped me sort the strands of the trauma roots. We got right down to work on them, as she drew from her large repertoire of techniques to use the ones most effective for me. Week by week we cleared pieces of my trauma puzzle, and I learned to work with my body, brain, spirit, and emotions to release the old energy. Life tossed a few big triggers my way during that time, and Terri used her tools to help me regulate my brain often in one session.
In the 4th month I took Terri’s 20-hour trauma small-group workshop. This was the single most powerful, life-changing, brain-healing experience I have ever had! Terri has crafted a series of guided experiences, each priming the next one, that allows the brain to release massive amounts of trauma in a supported and sensitively facilitated setting. (She also included follow up sessions that deepen and ‘seal’ the work.) In the next few weeks I actually felt my brain changing, calming, resting. I found myself speaking out effortlessly, fearlessly, with skill I’d studied before but the trauma response had not allowed. It was as if that curse had departed my brain/body and my real self stepped in! No gut reactions, no tears! In recent weeks, as Terri is helping me ‘mop up’ some smaller bits, I continue to release the old energy. I listen to my body and know how strength feels. Fear is gone; confidence is rising. I’m handling conflict with equanimity. Friends see it in my face, hear it in my voice. I’m sleeping better. My body is more relaxed. I have physical energy that surprises me. I believe in myself and speak up, successfully! At 62, I have a new life!!
Terri’s use of many newer methods of trauma recovery, her rich experience, and wise application make her brilliantly effective as a therapist. She really cares, her techniques really work, and the skills she teaches are immediately and forever helpful. Her weekend trauma workshop is the best value healing-wise and money-wise that a person could find for PTSD. Terri, I will always be so deeply grateful for how you have helped heal and free my whole being!! Words can’t begin to say it. . . Joyfully! Kelly
Terri is a true gem. Not just beautiful and kind, but very sharp and also compassionate. Her levels of training and education really set her apart from other therapists I’ve had. I’m truly thankful for finding Terri. She has helped me personally and in return my relationships with family, friends and addictions. Thank you, Terri. Your guidance, patience and understanding of the human mind and body are second to none. I truly love her as my therapist.
Thank you for doing wonderful work. You taught me a lot and made me a better person.
You have a gift and I am blessed to have worked with you. Thank you for being part of my recovery. I want you to know how grateful I am!
Hey Terri, just wanted to check in and thank you for helping me during a hard time. You really changed my life!… Life has never been better.
I can’t thank you enough for all that you have taught me and seen me through. You have truly saved my life. I came to you a broken person from trauma and addiction and I leave a calm and sober women of grace, dignity and respect.
I came to Terri to cope with the overwhelming sadness of my sister’s death. I was taking antidepressants and eating like a linebacker. Plus, the night terrors I had struggled with all my life from childhood abuse were getting worse. Two years and 30 pounds lighter, my nightmares have stopped completely! My marriage has transformed and my son tells me he feels like I love him more. Best of all, I am taking risks I had put off for a lifetime because I know, no matter what the failure or rejection, I will love and take care of myself.
Terri Kirwan approaches her therapy with a zest and enthusiasm that is difficult to find in the profession. This shows up in her earnest listening skills and her ability to challenge a client to learn new skills and ask the difficult questions. Her charming and pleasant demeanor enhanced her ability to counsel me.
STS Trauma Weekend Participants
Terri’s 20-hour trauma small-group workshop … was the single most powerful, life-changing, brain-healing experience I have ever had! Terri has crafted a series of guided experiences, each priming the next one, that allows the brain to release massive amounts of trauma in a supported and sensitively facilitated setting. (She also included follow up sessions that deepen and ‘seal’ the work.) In the next few weeks I actually felt my brain changing, calming, resting. I found myself speaking out effortlessly, fearlessly, with skill I’d studied before but the trauma response had not allowed. It was as if that curse had departed my brain/body and my real self stepped in! Fear is gone; confidence is rising. I’m handling conflict with equanimity. Friends see it in my face, hear it in my voice. I’m sleeping better. My body is more relaxed. I have physical energy that surprises me. I believe in myself and speak up, successfully! At 62, I have a new life!! Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
Terri’s use of many newer methods of trauma recovery, her rich experience, and wise application make her brilliantly effective as a therapist. She really cares, her techniques really work, and the skills she teaches are immediately and forever helpful. Her weekend trauma workshop is the best value healing-wise and money-wise that a person could find for PTSD. Terri, I will always be so deeply grateful for how you have helped heal and free my whole being!! Words can’t begin to say it. . . Joyfully! Kelly Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
The creation of this supportive group process, the sharing and witnessing and feedback were incredible. I am deeply moved and deeply excited by my transformative experience, my healing. This workshop may be one of the most impactful and healing process work I’ve ever done for my trauma! So Much Gratitude! Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
My whole experience of this workshop was positive. I appreciated how much attention Terri gave to each participant. She was so attuned to how we were feeling and what we needed. She led us but never pushed us. She has an amazing depth of knowledge and understanding of trauma and took an individual approach to help each of us work through our trauma. Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
I loved the individualistic approach to each attendee and reminders we were all safe. I love the look back at trauma AND then the look forward to life without it. So, few therapists give you the tools to actually change. You provided specific concrete tools that involve more than just talking about your past. I found the brain re-wiring techniques particularly helpful. Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
I really appreciated that the structure and flow of this group was planned but there was also room for flexibility and plenty of time for each person’s process. I loved the movement intervals and appreciated the training in boundaries and the building of vocabulary for our process – both verbal and embodied that sandwiched the release of trauma from our bodies. I also felt that the prep work we did with the meditations and visualizations were vital and super valuable. Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
As I’m preparing to leave tomorrow my mind is relaxed and at ease. I feel such deep appreciation that I felt an urge to send you this note. You accompanied each one of us through this weekend with such skillful means, one-pointed attention, compassion, and authenticity. I truly feel that words fail to describe the preciousness of you and your presence. With deep gratitude. Somatic Trauma Sequencing Group Participant
Weekly Emotional Regulation Skills (ERS) Group Participants
My Dream has come true! A program has finally been designed … with ways of helping myself, by myself, in any situation, anywhere. I am not helpless anymore! I can move through my day knowing how to restore and maintain emotional balance in my world. I have arrived! Stress Buster Skills Group Participant
What I notice most about doing this work is how I am not so driven by my emotions anymore. I feel a sense of calm that I didn’t feel before. I used to get into rages very easily, but that is no longer the case. I really love this work and Terri Kirwan is an outstanding facilitator. Stress Buster Skills Group Participant
Professional
In September of 2016, I joined The Rose House team as Executive Director. At that time, I was privileged to have Terri Kirwan, LPC on my staff in a Primary Therapist position… Terri’s clinical expertise in addiction and trauma, along with her calm, direct approach with clients moves them through the stages of change… One of the valuable skills Terri brought to The Rose House was her ability to take women through 5 states of emotional regulation using specific corresponding tools. During periods of dysregulation, we continuously saw women benefit from this process, often in ways that directly prevented them from leaving treatment or potentially hurting themselves… She is supportive, non-judgmental and is always dedicated to the best for her clients. Ann Matino, LCSW, Executive Director, The Rose House.
Terri has exceptional therapy skills, including understanding how stress affects our body’s functioning, and what to do about that. Dr. Valerie Andrews PhD, MA