Holistic Mental Health Counseling
EMDR, ACT, Nervous System Regulation, & Nature-Informed Therapy
Audra provides individual counseling services at Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative in Towson, Maryland and Wildflower Wellness in Parkville, MD. She can also be found facilitating nature-informed retreats. Take a look at the Events page for upcoming offerings and opportunities to connect.
CLINICAL APPROACH
Her approach combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Polyvagal Theory (PVT), narrative therapy, trauma-informed, and nature-informed practices to help clients reconnect with their values, stories, and embodied experiences.
She views therapy as a collaborative, holistic process that considers the whole person— their emotions, thoughts, body, relationships, culture, and environment. She aims to meet clients exactly where they are, providing a nonjudgmental space where safety, curiosity, and self-compassion can flourish. Her goal is to help clients reconnect with their innate wisdom and gain confidence to navigate challenges with greater awareness and flexibility, fostering a stronger connection with themselves and others, and moving toward lives that feel meaningful and authentic.
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)
EMDR is a highly effective, extensively researched therapy for trauma. It works by helping the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional charge — without requiring you to talk through every detail of what happened. EMDR can bring meaningful relief from PTSD, childhood trauma, grief, phobias, and other experiences that feel lodged in the body long after they've passed.
Nature-informed therapy
As a certified nature-informed therapist, I integrate the healing power of the natural world into my practice. Research consistently shows that time in and connection with nature reduces stress hormones, restores attention, and supports emotional regulation. This may look like sessions that incorporate outdoor elements, guided nature-based reflection, or simply helping you develop a more intentional relationship with the natural world as part of your wellbeing.
Polyvagal Theory
Your nervous system is always working to keep you safe — but sometimes it gets stuck in patterns of stress, shutdown, or disconnection that no longer serve you. Polyvagal-informed therapy helps you understand why your body responds the way it does, and builds your capacity to feel safe, regulated, and present. This is especially helpful for people who feel chronically on edge, emotionally numb, or disconnected from themselves and others.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT is a modern, research-backed approach that helps you stop fighting your inner experience and start building a life that feels meaningful. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, ACT teaches you to hold them differently — so they have less power over your choices. You'll develop psychological flexibility, clarify your values, and learn to move forward even when things feel hard.
SPECIALIZATIONS
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Life Transitions
LGBTQIA+ affirming
Grief and loss
Nervous system regulation
Stress