Hope Payson

LCSW, LADC and EMDR Consultant 

About Me

Personal Philosophy

I’ve personally contended with the negative fall out related to intergenerational trauma and addiction.  While this experience alone has not made me an expert in addressing these issues with others, it has been the driving force behind my clinical training. 

Some of my most robust learning experiences have come from my therapy clients and the therapists who seek my consultation services. From that work, I have learned:

  • Each person is unique. There is no “one way” to live or recover from trauma or an addiction.
  • People with histories of abuse, neglect and trauma—deserve a good life, a life they define on their own terms.
  • Addictions are a deadly undertow; while the water might appear smooth on the surface, they are a constant, lethal pull that can keep good, creative people stagnant.  It also the power to eventually sink them.
  • Breaking free from the old may require sifting through the past—carefully collecting the good and leaving behind what is no longer necessary.
  • Recovery is possible at any stage of life’s trip.  It starts by taking the first step and then staying on course.

What does this mean for the people I serve?  

That I will approach my task at hand, be it—supervision, consultation or training—with passion, curiosity, hard work, partnership, hopefulness and solid ethics. My approach is person-centered, down to earth and grounded in evidence based clinical training.