I am a Certified Trauma-Informed Master Life Coach and Certified Coach Practitioner, specializing in psychotherapy techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. With over 20 years of education, training, and experience, I am committed to help survivors break free from the unhealthy cycle and reclaim their lives with confidence and purpose.
But my qualifications are only relevant because I’m also a survivor of toxic relationships and narcissistic abuse.
The relentless pain, confusion, and isolation took a devastating toll on my health and sanity, so I gathered every ounce of strength I had left to fight back — often kicking and screaming — determined to reclaim my life.
I drew on every tool, knowledge, research, and first-hand experience I had to experiment with countless strategies – until I finally shattered the mask, released the toxic bond, and broke free completely.
- I no longer have to “cope” with emotional pain and thoughts of worthlessness
- I’m no longer triggered by songs, events, and other memories
- I no longer feel guilty about saying “No”
- I no longer make excuses for other people's bad behavior towards me
- I've anchored myself in the truth of who I am and unapologetically take up all my space, rather than seeking external validation
- My boundaries are solid and consistently enforced
- I no longer second-guess my intuition
- The narcissists who were in my life have simply become irrelevant
Invisible Wounds Left By Dysfunctional Parents, Caregivers, and Relationships
As children, we shape our understanding of ourselves and the world through interactions with our parents and primary caregivers—especially our mothers. Our sense of self-worth develops from how we’re nurtured, protected, and valued. When caregivers respond to our feelings, needs, and desires with empathy, we learn that we matter.
However, when this foundation is marred by emotional, verbal, or physical abuse, it can lead to long-lasting wounds. Children in these environments often grow into adults grappling with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and self-doubt. They live their everyday looking at themselves and the world around them through distorted lenses.
- Perhaps you didn’t get the love and support you needed from your caregivers while growing up..
- Maybe you were silenced when you expressed your thoughts and feelings, or even made fun of for sharing them.
- Perhaps you were raised to conform to someone else’s expectations and to avoid disturbing others’ comfort.
- Maybe you believe that you have to work hard and prove yourself to be worthy of love and respect.
Your right to live as an independent, thinking, and feeling individual has been violated. Dysfunctional adults can cause serious emotional harm to their children, leading to:
- Constant self-doubt
- Low self-esteem and a poor sense of worth
- Weak or no personal boundaries
- Feeling inadequate and anxious, no matter their achievements
- Believing their value depends on what they achieve or what they can do for others
- Lacking a healthy example of family and relationships
- Seeking out and remaining with emotionally unavailable and abusive partners because this is what "love" has always looked like for them
Education & Certifications
- BSc. Psychology
- Certified Trauma-Informed Master Life Coach
- Certified (CBT) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Coach Practitioner
- Certified (DBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy Life Coach
- Certified (REBT) Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Life Coach
- Certified (ACT) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Coach
- Certified Gestalt Life Coach
- Certified NLP Practitioner
- Strategic Intervention Coach
- Stress Management & Burnout Prevention Certification
- Depression & Suicide Prevention Certification
- Certified Digital Coach
These wounds have stripped away your freedom to SELF-LOVE and SELF-VALIDATE. They keep you from living YOUR OWN LIFE because you have been conditioned to accommodate what's best for everyone else BUT you.
Healing from emotional and psychological trauma isn’t easy,
but once these wounds are healed, you’ll reclaim your freedom to live authentically.
I get it. I believe you. And I’m on your side 100%
Carmen is the Founder of Carmen Sakurai, Int’l, holding a BSc in Psychology. She is a certified trauma-informed master life coach and a certified coach practitioner specializing in various psychotherapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. Carmen also has expertise in Mental and Behavioral Health Studies, with a focus on Stress Management, Burnout Prevention, Depression, and Suicide/Violent Behavior.
Her training in Strategic Intervention includes human needs psychology, strategic therapy, family therapy, conflict resolution, organizational psychology, and the Triangle of Conflict - a process that helps individuals reconnect with core emotions for a more authentic self."
As a Certified Digital Coach, she has demonstrated her ability to effectively serve her clients via digital platform.
You can find her articles on popular websites including Psych Central, Ricky Martin’s Piccolo Universe, SheKnows, Little Things, Today.com, Lifehack, and Thought Catalog.
Carmen currently resides in Las Vegas, NV with her son, Joshua and their cat, Neko. She is an elementary grade Religious Education teacher and an advocate for victims of narcissistic abuse.
Visit Carmen’s Personal Blog: https://imcarmen.com … and Food Blog: https://girlplusfood.com