WHAT'S
BEST
FOR ME?
My Clinical Style
My clinical approach is mostly psychodynamic, however I am not committed to a specific approach or agenda with any of my clients. Each individual has unique viewpoints, life experiences, priorities, and needs. I view therapy as a collaborative process and working together to determine specific treatment goals.
With collaboration of goals, I help you improve insight and awareness of self-defeating patterns. I believe that anyone can make meaningful shifts in the ways they relate to others, behave in the world, and feel about themselves.
I offer a supportive environment for change through honesty, warmth, compassion, and a dash of humor. I will also gently and respectfully challenge you, be firm, and direct as needed. I truly love the work that I do and I’m here to help you.
Some additional approaches I use in my practice include:
CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy)
DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
Experiential and Exposure Therapy
Mindfulness
Supportive/Joyful Movement Practices
Psychotherapy
People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood trauma, to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge. A client and therapist may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as several years, depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy. I offer a variety of psychotherapy approaches.
Individual therapy is a type of psychotherapy working one-on-one with the client in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. I help explore thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and/or behaviors with my clients. We will work through challenges together, identify aspects of life that the you would like to work on, better understand your sense of self and your relationships, set personal goals, and/or work toward desired change.
Positive psychology helps you identify happy moments as they happen rather than notice those moments in retrospect. Through this type of therapy, you learn to focus on positive emotions and to live in the present moment. Many couples find positive psychology liberating and joyful.
Family Therapy
Family Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that can help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts.
I have extensive experience with family work especially working with eating disorders and addiction. The family is treated as a unit. I teach and highlight these intentions: showing up for each other, speaking the truth without judgment, paying attention to each together, and not being attached to the results.
These intentions are important for each member of the family unit to keep in mind while in family therapy together. A safety and vulnerability can happen with these intentions in place, which in turn can transform a stronger connection, build trust, and allow for greater understanding of everyone’s needs and role within the family unit.
Group Therapy
I love group work and believe there is such power within the circle. I run 3-4 groups a year which run for 6 weeks each. Within the 6 weeks we go over topics, themes, goals that the members want to work on during our time together. My groups also will not be any larger than 6 participants, this way each individual has ample time to share. The growth and connection that has happened is amazing and why I continue offering group work.
My research of having the group members commit to the entire 6 or 8 weeks has shown to be more beneficial for the members as a closer bond is created. There becomes an increased safety and trust knowing that it’s just going to be these same members each week within the group sessions. The growth and connection that has happened is amazing.
I will often have an ongoing guest therapist with these groups so that the group members can have another perspective and additional support and connection within the group sessions.
Exposure Therapy
I offer exposure therapy with my clients. This may look like eating a fear food, going out to a restaurant, going to a grocery store, being on the beach in a bathing suit, or having a confrontation with a family member, friend, or coworker. Exposure therapy involves exposing the client to the anxiety source and its context without the intention to cause any danger. I will take the exercises and skills slow and at the client’s pace. Revisiting the goal each session for more movement towards the desired goal.
Exposure Example: Anxiety about eating out. Desired Goal: To eat out with less anxiety. We may start by first talking about the last time they ate out, then highlight back on desired goal, where they would like to eat out, looking at the menu online, choosing an option, then may go to a restaurant and just look at a menu there. Then we may order the food and then sit down to eat the food. The client is always in the driver’s seat and I am there to help encourage, support, and reflect the desired goal.
The goal of exposure therapy is to create a safe environment in which a person can reduce anxiety, decrease avoidance of dreaded situations, and improve one's quality of life.