Alexa Nicoleyson, M.A., AMFT #152794

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

EMDR Therapist in Training

Supervised by Michelle Newcomb, LMFT 104721

805.258.4681

alexa@irimiyacounseling.com

Healing from trauma is not a one-size-fits-all process. Each person’s nervous system, story, and pace of healing is unique. As a trauma therapist, my role is to provide a compassionate, safe, and attuned space where you can begin to understand your experiences, release what no longer serves you, and reconnect with a sense of safety and empowerment. My work is rooted in the understanding that trauma is not only stored in our memories but also within our nervous system and body.

Drawing from Polyvagal Theory, I help clients understand their nervous system responses and develop tools to gently shift from survival states into greater safety and connection. Through Somatic Therapy, we work together to notice and release the ways trauma has been held physically, creating space for grounding, balance, and resilience. I also integrate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a highly researched method that supports the brain in reprocessing traumatic memories so they no longer feel overwhelming in the present.

Together, we identify how your trauma impacts your nervous system. We'll explore your body’s natural survival responses—fight, flight, freeze, or shut down—and develop practical tools to help you move into states of greater calm, connection, and resilience.

You'll start to bring awareness to how trauma is stored in the body. We use grounding practices, breathwork, movement, and nervous system regulation techniques to release stored tension and support your body’s innate ability to heal.

My therapeutic style is compassionate, collaborative, and paced to meet each client where they are. Whether you are navigating the aftermath of trauma, struggling with anxiety, or feeling disconnected from yourself, I provide a supportive space for you to reconnect with your inner strength and create lasting change.

If you are seeking a therapist who understands the deep and lasting impact of trauma and can guide you through a body-centered, integrative path toward healing, I would be honored to walk alongside you on this journey.

    • Sexual Trauma 

    • Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence

    • Emotional and Psychological Abuse

    • Trauma-related Anxiety, Shame, and Dissociation

    • Childhood Trauma (including neglect, abuse, and emotional wounds)

    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Trauma (long-term or repeated trauma) 

    • Anxiety and Depression Related to Trauma

    • Toxic Family Dynamics

    Population: Children / Adolescents (4 - 17), Young Adult and Older Adult.

    Affirming Therapist for LGBTQ+, Neurodiversity, and BIPOC.

    • Polyvagal Therapy

    • Nervous System Regulation

    • EMDR

    • Trauma Focused CBT

    • IFS Informed “Parts Work”

    • Somatic Therapy 

    • Body Awareness Techniques

    • Person-Centered Therapy

    • Humanistic Therapy

  • $135 / 50-minute session 

    Aetna, Gold Coast Healthcare Plan / Medi-cal, Optum, United Healthcare, UMR, Ventura County Healthcare Plan, Victims of Crime

  • In Office and Telehealth:

    Monday & Tuesday (Telehealth)

    Wednesdays - Fridays (In Office & Telehealth only)

  • Antioch University - Santa Barbara, CA

    Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, 2024

    University of Southern California, Los Angeles 

    Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies/ Psychology, 2017