Carly Pollack smiling, with long dark hair, wearing a sleeveless top, sitting with one arm resting on her knee and her fist near her chin, in an indoor setting.

Hi, I’m Carly

I’m a grief and trauma therapist (LCSW) specializing in EMDR, somatic therapy, and nervous system-based work.

I help adults who carry a lot — especially when you’ve already done the insight work but something still feels stuck.

My approach combines evidence-based therapy with real, human connection so you can feel more regulated in your body, clearer in your decisions, and more connected in your relationships.

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How I Work

  • I’m direct, truthful, and unconditionally supportive with you.

    I won’t tell you “aww it’s gonna be OK” or “forgive them!” and you’ll probably see my face making some expressive expressions. I’m never going to answer your question with a question like you see in the movies.

    I use humor and human connection to support your therapeutic goals.

  • I know that I don’t have all the answers and I don’t mind being wrong. I try hard not to say “you should…” because it irks me when people say that to me.

    I come to our sessions genuinely curious about your story, your parts, and your way of seeing the world.

    I believe the wisdom, healing, power, whatever you want to call, the “thing” that you “need” is already within you. It’s there, and together we can explore, build trust, and connect with it.

  • We all have biases, and to deny them is harmful. It matters if your therapist is anti-LGBTQ+ or doesn't believe in compassionate immigration policies.

    Clinical training and experience matter a lot, but if you also care about others, you have the right to ask your therapist about these beliefs.

    We can't be non-political right now.

  • No matter what you're going through or feeling, no matter how intense or confusing.

    Suicidal thoughts are welcome here, so are the other “taboos” like sex, drugs, fantasy, and money.

    Your whole self is appreciated – the good, the bad, and the perfectly ugly.

    There's no judgment, just a gentle place to explore and build trust with each part of you.

  • I want to give you practical tools and strategies that you can start using right away.

    And if a slightly unusual analogy or out-there reference comes to my brain, I might just say it.

    Everything I bring into therapy is based on what I know to be helpful.

    I use EMDR, IFS, somatic and psychedelic therapy with clients because I also use them in my own healing journey.

Therapy with me is both structured and flexible — grounded in evidence-based approaches, but always tailored to you.

Ever feel like you’re fighting your emotions, disconnected from your relationships, or overwhelmed by the ups and downs of life?

A woman in a white dress standing on a beach at sunset, with her feet in the shallow water, creating a reflection on the wet sand.

You might be someone who:

  • Thinks a lot about your patterns

  • Understands why you feel the way you do

  • Has done the insight work

…but something still isn’t shifting.

Maybe you’re trying to trust yourself, make clear decisions, or just feel more steady — but it keeps slipping.

You don’t have to keep pushing through it alone.

I can help you get there using EMDR therapy and nervous system-based work — not just by talking about things, but by actually processing what’s stuck.

What Clients Come to Me For

Trauma & Nervous System Overwhelm

When your body still reacts like something isn’t safe — even if your mind understands what happened. This can show up as anxiety, shutdown, reactivity, or feeling constantly on edge.

Identity Loss & Life Transitions

When the version of you that once worked no longer fits.. after loss, caregiving, burnout, or major life shifts… and you’re trying to figure out who you are now.

This shows up as feeling stuck in your grief, constantly second-guessing yourself, or knowing something isn’t working but not being able to shift it.

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Grief & Loss

Whether your loss is recent or from years ago, grief doesn’t always move the way people expect. This includes overwhelming grief, traumatic loss (like suicide or sudden death), and anticipatory grief when a loss is approaching.

Guilt & Over Responsibility

Feeling responsible for how others feel, questioning your decisions, or carrying a constant sense that you did something wrong — even when you didn’t.

I’ve been a therapist for years, and I’m still human.

I do my own therapy and know when to ask for help. I don’t expect you to do anything I haven’t been willing to do myself.

I feel things deeply and pay attention with curiosity, which is part of what makes me a really good therapist.

I can be too competitive and a bit forgetful, so I’m not here to label you or jump to a diagnosis. I want to understand you and what’s actually going on beneath the surface.

Outside of therapy, I’m usually moving my body, cooking vegetarian meals, or near the sun and water whenever I can.

I care a lot about living a full, grounded life, not just helping people survive theirs. What I value in my own life, like clarity, steadiness, and feeling connected, is the same work I help my clients move toward.

I know the chaos, sadness, and pain of trauma and grief because I’ve been there. I also know what it’s like to rebuild trust….in yourself, in your life, and in what’s possible.

Carly smiling with her dog Rocky, a red golden retriever in the desert.
Carly in a blue sleeveless top and black apron is grinding spices with a stone mortar and pestle on a wooden table. There are bowls of vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, avocados, and green grapes, and a plate with pickles and peppers.
Watercolor illustration of a blue and white flower, a colorado colombine, with detailed petals.

Questions You Might Be Wondering

  • I believe therapy should be authentic, powerful, and effective.

    My approach to therapy is collaborative, ultra personalized, and intentional. I don't sit there and shake my head and say "mhm." I believe you have everything you need to "heal," and I'm there to help you access it.

    Sessions are designed to be focused and planned to address your unique goals, yet flexible to meet you where you’re at.

    While I can’t give you a set number of sessions it will take, you will begin to feel progress soon after we begin.

    I hope that my website can reveal a bit about my personality, and the free consultation call can give you the rest of what you need to make the decision to start therapy with me.

  • I use trauma-informed, somatic based therapies that are modern, evidence-based, and engaging.

    I’m not huge on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, but everyone has their preferences ;)

    I use a dynamic, integrative approach - meaning, we’ll use a blend of EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS, Somatic, and Psychedelic therapies when appropriate.

    I believe this allows my clients to find the most success in therapy.

  • LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. It means I’ve completed graduate training, supervised clinical hours, and licensing exams to provide therapy.

  • Insurance can interrupt the therapeutic process. They delay payments, take back money, and can limit the amount of sessions you can have.

    If you have insurance, I can give you a superbill and you can upload it to Thrizer for possible reimbursement.

    https://www.thrizer.com/

  • I love being a therapist because it allows me to be a fellow traveler. I've learned so much from my clients and colleagues and will continue to expand into the best version of therapist and person I can be.

    I try to stay in tune with myself, my clients, and my world, which helps me be present with you while you address and move through deeply painful material.

    Working with folks who are going through loss is an honor. When I am sitting with you in your grief, confusion, hurt, anger and disgust, I feel peace and clarity.

  • I am anti-racist, anti-homophobic, anti-transphobic, anti-xenophobic, pro Free Palestine and have a hard time understanding how we elected trump.

    I feel more and more spiritual as I grow with and into myself. Although I am obviously plugged into a capitalistic system, I think capitalism drives a lot of the suffering we experience as a people.

    Please, feel free to ask me about any of this and if there are parts that I missed, bring them up in our consultation call.

  • Everyone should ask their therapist this!

    I am involved in my own individual therapy and regularly practice IFS and somatic mediations.

    I get cozy with my shadow parts and take part in individual and group psychedelic therapy experiences.

    I play soccer, spend time in nature and water, cook healthy plant-based meals, bake vegan treats, prioritize sun and water intake, learn Spanish, volunteer at the humane society, and play with my dog on a regular basis.

    I have a loving partner who supports me unconditionally 💖

  • It's cheesy but it's true- I don't think I really "chose" it at first.

    My baby brother died of bone cancer when I was 20 and he was 17. He had his leg amputated as part of treatment, was in remission, and it came back, it metastasized. The entire 3 years were horrible, and my family and I had no idea how to grieve. We sort of stuffed it down. Shocker - it came back up.

    10 years after my brother died, my dad died by suicide after a long struggle with depression and alcoholism. I was 30.

    These losses shaped me personally and professionally, and I am honored to work with folks navigating similar traumas and losses.

    Even if you don’t share the experience of losing family to death, loss shows up many times in our lives especially in transition.

  • If you’ve already done a lot of thinking or talking about your experiences but still feel stuck, this kind of work can be especially helpful.

    The best way to know is through a consultation where we can talk through what’s going on and what you’re looking for.

Ready to start therapy?

If you’re used to holding everything together but something still feels stuck, therapy can be a place to actually process what’s there — not just manage it.

We’ll start with a free, no pressure consultation to see if it feels like a good fit.

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