why therapy?
I believe that some of the most sustainable human growth occurs via relationship. This is why I believe in the power of Psychotherapy: it can be a unique opportunity for healing, a process in which -- through genuine connection and honest feedback, we can begin to make sense of the way we have come to view ourselves, our relationships, and our sense of spirituality/interconnection with the world around us. Through our work together, my clients can begin to gain the tools needed in order to change that which they can control, but also genuinely accept that which they cannot.
This can be especially critical during teenage years. Teens need to learn to foster safe, trustworthy relationships more than ever since the pandemic. I have found that teens and their families can really benefit from having some guidance in re-shaping their family relationships to adjust to their need for increased independence (indeed, it is essential to their growth!) I am passionate about providing teens and their families a safe place to explore questions related to identity, gender, and sexuality, making appropriate referrals for additional supportive services as needed.
I work in a humanistic, very collaborative style in which being present and mindful is fundamental, and the client, not the therapist, is the expert in their own experience. I am a Psychodynamic therapist, which means I address beliefs about the self and the world that were formed in childhood, which need to be re-worked in order to heal emotionally and handle challenges more adaptively. Much of this involves exploring unconscious processes using methods such as experiential dream work. My work often blends Psychodynamic processes with IFS (Internal Family Systems, aka, “parts work”), and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), incorporating DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)/ACT (Acceptance and Commitment) skills as needed.
common issues addressed:
trauma
religious trauma
relationship distress
life transitions
grief and loss
core identity/sense of self
boundaries/co-dependency
anxiety/depression