Trauma Therapist | PTSD & Nervous System Regulation | Veterans & First Responders

Many people who come to therapy feel like they are constantly in survival mode. You may find yourself on edge, unable to relax, replaying difficult experiences, or feeling disconnected from the people around you. These reactions are common for individuals who have experienced trauma or prolonged stress and are often signs of a nervous system that has learned to stay on high alert.

I specialize in working with veterans, first responders, and individuals recovering from traumatic experiences. Many of the people I work with have spent years in high-stress environments where staying alert was necessary for survival, but that same survival response can make it difficult to relax, trust others, or fully reconnect with life.

My approach integrates evidence-based trauma therapies such as EMDR and Prolonged Exposure with body-based interventions including Heart Rate Variability (HRV) biofeedback. Trauma is not only something we think about but something the nervous system experiences and remembers. By addressing both the psychological and physiological impact of trauma, therapy can help restore a sense of safety, regulation, and control.

While working at Chestnut Hill Therapy Collective, I also worked with survivors of gun violence through the University of Pennsylvania Trauma Center and trained clinically at the Department of Veterans Affairs. As a combat veteran myself, I bring both professional training and lived understanding of the impact trauma and prolonged stress can have on the body and mind.

My goal in therapy is to help individuals move out of survival mode and develop the tools needed to regain stability, resilience, and a stronger sense of direction in their lives.

Who I Work Best With
• Veterans and first responders • Individuals experiencing PTSD or trauma • Survivors of violence • Individuals struggling with hypervigilance or chronic stress • People who feel stuck in survival mode • High-stress professionals experiencing burnout

Jonathan continues to work with a limited number of clients each week, particularly those seeking specialized trauma treatment.

Veteran and First Responder Mental Health

Many veterans and first responders live with PTSD, hypervigilance, moral injury, survivor guilt, identity shifts, isolation, and the chronic pressure to be the strong one. These experiences are far more common than most people realize, yet they are often carried quietly and alone.

My approach is shaped by both clinical training and lived experience as a combat veteran and former first responder. Therapy becomes a space where there is no need to perform resilience, minimize what happened, or stay guarded. This is a place where the weight of responsibility can finally be set down.

Nervous System Regulation and HRV Biofeedback

Chronic stress, anxiety, dissociation, disrupted sleep, and burnout often begin in the nervous system rather than in conscious thought. Many clients arrive feeling stuck in fight-or-flight or emotionally shut down, unsure how to feel grounded again.

HRV biofeedback is a core part of my trauma work. Using real-time feedback from heart rate variability and breathing, clients learn how their nervous system responds to stress and how to influence it directly. This process helps restore balance, reduce reactivity, and build a felt sense of safety and control. Many clients describe HRV biofeedback as a turning point where regulation becomes something they can feel, not just understand.

Trauma Therapy, Mindfulness, and Meaning After Trauma

Much of suffering after trauma comes from learning to override instincts, breath, limits, and needs. Healing often begins when attention turns back toward the body and the signals it has been sending all along.

My therapy approach is relational, trauma-informed, and evidence-based. Together, we explore what feels unfinished, what has been avoided, and what the nervous system has been holding. Mindfulness becomes a way of noticing patterns without judgment and gradually restoring trust in internal cues such as breath, sensation, and emotion.

This work is especially supportive for PTSD, anxiety, chronic stress, dissociation, and trauma recovery.

EMDR and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD

When the nervous system is supported and stabilized, deeper trauma processing becomes possible. I use EMDR therapy and Prolonged Exposure therapy, two of the most effective evidence-based treatments for PTSD and trauma.

Some sessions focus on grounding and bodily awareness. Others work directly with memory, imagery, or themes that continue to shape daily life. The pace is collaborative, careful, and responsive to what your system can tolerate.

A Collaborative Space for Healing

For many people, trauma becomes intertwined with identity, responsibility, and survival. Therapy here is not about pushing through or fixing anything. It is about rebuilding internal safety, flexibility, and meaning.

The goal is not to erase the past, but to help the body and mind stop living as though danger is still present, allowing clarity, connection, and purpose to return.