Elizabeth Scudder (Karlinski), MS, LMFT

Elizabeth's approach is trauma-informed and grounded in the belief that all people are worthy of fulfilling, intimate relationships — and capable of the healing and change required to get there. She is straightforward about what isn't working and what needs to shift, while holding space for both partners with equal compassion.

Her work helps couples address the underlying trauma and relational patterns that create distance, and build the practical skills needed to maintain safety, trust, and connection over time.

She is formally trained in:

Relational Life Therapy (RLT) A model for couples therapy developed by Terry Real that helps partners resolve conflict, build personal accountability, improve communication, and cultivate lasting intimacy. RLT is known for its directness and its focus on breaking generational patterns that show up in relationships.

Her clinical approach additionally draws from:

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) An evidence-based psychotherapy that addresses trauma and adverse life experiences beyond what traditional talk therapy can reach — helping clients move through stuck, painful places. Elizabeth has completed EMDR basic training.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) A therapeutic approach that works with the distinct internal "parts" of a person — protective, wounded, and exiled aspects of self — to restore wholeness and self-led relating.

Systems Theory The perspective that individuals are shaped by a complex web of beliefs, histories, family-of-origin dynamics, and cultural influences. Understanding those systems is essential to understanding relational patterns.