Jarae Swanstrom, LCPC

Online Trauma Therapy for women in Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, and throughout Idaho

You don’t have to do it all to be worthy.

I know what it feels like to carry the weight of everyone else’s needs, believing that if you just tried harder—if you were more perfect—then maybe you’d finally feel enough.

A woman on a mountain with her hands in a heart shape. This woman went to trauma therapy in Coeur d'Alene Idaho. The woman used EMDR therapy and Brainspotting therapy in Post Falls Idaho to heal.

For years, I lived in that cycle. I was the woman who never wanted to let anyone down, the one who said “yes” even when I was running on empty.

I was the perfectionist who hid my self-doubt behind rigid rules, controlling my food, my body, and my emotions in an attempt to feel in control of something.

I pushed myself to be everything to everyone—until I hit a wall.

I was exhausted.

Burnt out.

Disconnected from myself and the people I loved.

Healing wasn’t about trying harder. It was about letting go.

I had to learn how to tune back into my body, to trust myself, and to stop living for the approval of others. And through that process, I discovered something life-changing: healing is possible.

You don’t have to stay stuck in a cycle of self-doubt, guilt, and over-responsibility. You can break free.

And now, I help other women do the same!


Jarae Swanstrom, LCPC

Jarae Swanstrom is an trauma therapist in Sandpoint Idaho. Jarae uses EMDR therapy and Brainspotting therapy to help women heal their trauma. Jarae provides online therpy in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and throughout Idaho.

Hi, I’m Jarae, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. I work with women who are ready to STOP putting themselves last and START living life for themselves.

My clients are DONE with people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the never-ending pressure to hold it all together. They WANT peace. They WANT to feel at home in their own skin. They WANT to stop second-guessing themselves and start trusting their own voice.


Through trauma-informed therapy, I help women:

  • Heal from the past so they can live in the present

  • Let go of the guilt and pressure to be perfect

  • Reconnect with their body and emotions in a safe, empowering way

  • Set boundaries without fear or guilt

  • Finally feel calm, confident, and in control of their own life

A picture of pink wild flowers in a field. Mountain River Therapy offers online therpy in Idaho. Mountian River Therapy specializes in Brainspotting Therapy in Sandpoint Idaho.

I use somatic-based approaches, including EMDR therapy, Brainspotting therapy, and nervous system techniques, to help women heal at a deep level—not just talk about their struggles but truly move through them.

Why I Became a Therapist

I became a therapist because I wanted to help women like me—women who felt stuck, disconnected, and exhausted from trying to be everything for everyone else.

I wanted to create a space where they could let their guard down, feel truly seen, and know, deep down, that they are enough.

Before becoming a therapist, I worked as an exercise physiologist in the fitness industry.

I saw so many women struggling—not just with weight loss or exercise but with something deeper.

Their battles weren’t about willpower; they were about trauma.

And I realized I wasn’t so different. I, too, was searching for healing.

That realization led me to pursue more education, not just for them but for myself.

A close up picture of a flower stem and leaves. Mountain River Therapy offers counseling in CDA Idaho. Mountain River Therapy specializes in EMDR therapy in Post Falls Idaho.

I reconnected with my body.

I faced the discomfort instead of running from it.

I stopped letting perfectionism rule my life and embraced good enough.

I healed my trauma, learned to regulate my nervous system, and started living for me.

And as I healed, my relationships softened—what once felt chaotic became calm.

For the first time, I felt at home in myself.

What changed?

Woman sitting on a rock looking at the river. Woman used Brainspotting therapy in Post Falls Idaho to heal her trauma. Woman found a trauma therapist that does online therapy in Idaho.

My Own Struggles

For years, I lived in a cycle of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-doubt.

I felt like I had to get everything just right—spending hours redoing tasks, avoiding anything that didn’t feel “perfect,” and ultimately, losing myself in the process.

I gave everything to others, hoping it would bring me peace, only to feel drained and resentful.

I turned to food for comfort and control, obsessing over “healthy eating” while secretly battling guilt and shame when I strayed from the rules I had created.

My body felt foreign to me—I ignored its cues, avoided my emotions, and lived in a constant state of anxiety and dysregulation.

A picture of a mountain rage with clouds in the sky. Mountain River Therapy specializes in Brainspotting therapy in CDA idaho. Mountain River Therapy also offers EMDR therapy in Sandpoint Idaho.

Why I Opened Mountain River Therapy

I opened Mountain River Therapy because I wanted to help women find that same healing.

I wanted to create a space where women could do the deep work, not just put a Band-Aid on their struggles.

In private practice, I have the freedom to work in the way I believe is most effective—helping women untangle their past, reconnect with their bodies, and break free from the cycles that keep them stuck.

My approach is deeply personal because I’ve been there, too. I don’t dictate your healing—I guide you to uncover your own answers.

I believe trauma is at the root of so much suffering and that true healing happens when we reconnect with our bodies.

The body holds the key—we just have to learn to trust it again.

If you’re ready to start that journey, I’m here to walk alongside you.

You don’t have to do it alone!


A woman in the mountains with her hands up in peace signs. This woman is happy she went to online therapy in Idaho. She healed her trauma with EMDR therapy and Brainspotting therapy in Sandpoint Idaho.

You Deserve to Take Up Space

You are not too much!

You are not failing!

You are not broken!

If you’ve spent your life making sure everyone else is okay, let me be the one to remind you: you matter, too!

I’d love to support you in stepping into the life you deserve—one where you feel free, grounded, and confident in who you are.

Let’s start with a free 15-minute consultation. Reach out today, and let’s talk about how healing can begin.

  • MS in Marriage, Couple, & Family Counseling, Walden University

    BS Nutrition & Exercise Physiology, Washington State University

    Idaho Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, 8331208

  • Brainspotting Level 1 (2024)

    Trauma Conscious Yoga Method (2023)

    Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship (2022)

    EMDR Training - EMDRIA Approved (2021)

    ACSM - Clinical Exercise Physiologist (2011)

  • I emphasize the importance of a strong, trusting relationship in my therapeutic practice. I focus on connecting with my clients and understanding their unique experiences. I combine Emotionally Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Polyvagal Theory, and Somatic-based practices to help my clients tune into their emotional and bodily experiences. For trauma processing, Brainspotting and EMDR are key parts of my practice. I aim to help you regulate your nervous system and find your path to healing.

A woman on a cliff overlooking a mountan river. The woman is calm after going to a trauma therapist in Post Falls Idaho. The woman went to emotional eating therapy in Coeur d'Alene Idaho. The woman used trauma therapy in Idaho to recconect to herself

Get started with therapy with Jarae today.


You don’t have to live with the constant need to get everything perfect, the deep desire to please everyone but yourself, and living in a state of overanalyzing everything you do. My online therapy practice in Idaho can help you heal from the trauma binding you to unhelpful behaviors and empower you to embrace imperfection and authenticity. Mountain River Therapy in Sandpoint, serving Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, and throughout Idaho, specializes in helping women who are tired of living life for others and are ready to feel calm, confident, and healed. To start your counseling journey, follow these simple steps:

Step 1

Contact Mountain River Therapy

Step 2

Meet with Jarae, a trauma therapist, for an intake session.

Step 3

Rediscover the joy of feeling fully connected to yourself, your body, and those you love!