Meet Paula Bloom, LPC
Warm, direct, and deeply curious
Hi, I'm Paula — a Licensed Professional Counselor, trauma specialist, and the founder of Bloomwell Care.
I know that therapy asks a lot of people.
You're expected to sit across from someone you've just met and talk about experiences you've spent years protecting. It’s completely normal if that feels intimidating or strange. We’re human. I don't believe trust is automatic simply because I'm a therapist. I believe it's something we build together through consistency, honesty, and a relationship that develops over time.
Many of the people I work with have spent years trying to move forward from the trauma they have endured. Maybe you grew up in an environment where you had to stay on guard. Maybe you've experienced abuse, violence, betrayal, loss, or events that changed the way you see yourself, other people, and the world around you. Maybe your work as a first responder or veteran exposed you to things most people will never fully understand.
Over time, those experiences affect us and change us in ways that last longer than the trauma itself. You might find yourself stuck in patterns that once helped you survive but now get in the way of the life you want. You may struggle with anxiety, depression, self-criticism, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, or a constant sense that you're carrying more than everyone else seems to be. The good news is that these patterns make sense. They developed for a reason. The question isn't "What's wrong with me? " The question is "What happened to me — and what do I want to do with that story now?"
Navigating that answer is the work we do together.
Why I Became a Therapist
My path to this work wasn't accidental. It was shaped by personal experience and nearly a decade of clinical work, including years spent with homeless veterans carrying wounds that began long before their military service ever did. That work changed me. It showed me that trauma doesn't care about timelines, and that healing doesn't either. No matter how long you've been carrying something, there is a way through.
I've always been drawn to understanding people—not simply what happened to them, but how those experiences shaped the way they move through the world today. Watching people reconnect with themselves after years of surviving is one of the greatest privileges of my work.
I earned my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of San Diego, and I've spent the past 8 years working with people navigating some of the most difficult chapters of their lives. My clients often describe me as warm and easy to trust; someone who meets them exactly where they are, while gently and honestly challenging them to grow. I believe therapy should feel like a collaboration and fulfilling, hard work.
My Approach
Honestly, I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. The people I work with are too complex for that, and their stories are too unique. So instead of pulling everyone through the same process, I draw from a few different approaches depending on what actually makes sense for you — where you are, what you've been through, and what you're ready for.
The ones I come back to most are:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): If you've ever felt like a memory or experience has way too much power over how you feel today, EMDR is often where we start. Instead of retelling a story over and over, we help your brain finish processing what happened, so it stops showing up in your body and your daily life like it just happened yesterday. A lot of my clients are surprised by how much cognitively shifts after EMDR work, especially when traditional talk therapy in the past hasn’t felt like enough.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): This modality allows us to get a closer look into your patterns. The thoughts that play on repeat. The behaviors that made sense once but keep getting in the way now. TF-CBT gives us tools to start understanding where those patterns came from and, more importantly, how to actually change them, including the way you talk to yourself.
Internal Family Systems (IFS): This modality helps shift things the most for people doing inner child work. IFS is built on the idea that we're all made up of different parts, and a lot of those parts developed when we were young, trying to protect us from pain. The goal isn't to get rid of these parts of self. It's to understand them, thank them for what they did, and help them relax so you can start making decisions from a more grounded place while getting to learn more about your authentic, core self.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Sometimes people come in so overwhelmed that just getting through the day feels like too much. DBT gives you concrete skills for that , such as how to ride out intense emotions without making things worse, how to be more effective in your relationships, or how to build a life that genuinely feels like yours.
What You Can Expect:
When we work together, you can expect
A pace that respects your readiness
Curiosity before assumptions
Direct but compassionate feedback
Practical tools alongside emotional healing
Space to question, grow, and process without pressure
A therapeutic relationship where trust is built, not expected
My areas of focus include:
Complex Trauma & PTSD
Childhood Trauma & Inner Work
Emotional, Verbal, Physical & Sexual Abuse
Negative Self-Talk & Self-Worth
Unlearning unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors
First Responder Support
Veterans & Military Trauma
Anxiety & Emotional Overwhelm
Relationship & Attachment Wounds
The people I tend to work with best are the ones who are kind of done. Done white-knuckling it. Done being hard on themselves. Done wondering why they can't just get over it.
A lot of them have spent years being really high-functioning on the outside while carrying something heavy on the inside. They're not broken… they're exhausted. And somewhere along the way they've started to wonder if there's actually a different way to live.
If you're someone who wants to understand why you think and feel the way you do then we're probably a good fit. Especially if you're curious about inner child work and what it would feel like to stop abandoning the younger parts of yourself that still need something.
This is the work I love most. It's not always easy, but it's among the most meaningful changes I've seen people make.
My Vision for Bloomwell Care
Bloomwell Care was born from a simple but deeply held belief: that everyone deserves access to compassionate, high-quality mental health care and post-traumatic growth is achievable with the right therapist. The name itself reflects this vision: Bloom means growing into your most authentic self. Well isn't the absence of struggle; it's peace, connection, and purpose within it. Care is the foundation that makes it real. My hope is that Bloomwell Care becomes a place where you feel safe enough to do the hard work and supported every step of the way.
Ready to take the first step?
You don’t have to have it all figured out to reach out. If something here resonated with you, I’d love to connect. Book a free consultation by filling out this form, and I’ll reach out!