Therapy is different for each person, couple or family depending on who you are and what you are seeking – whether it is greater self understanding and acceptance, increased ability to cope effectively with anxiety and depression, wanting to change the way you fight with your partner, or creating more joy in your life. We’ll focus on healing and work collaboratively to meet your needs. In therapy we’ll explore the following:

• stories about your life and your ways of thinking
• emotions and your ability to tune into, understand and express them
• your bodily experience of your emotions and thoughts
• creating a different experience of safety, acceptance and understanding in order to create new possibilities

From a more technical perspective, I pay attention to development, family of origin and family systems, attachment, trauma, and neurobiology. If you are curious about any of these things, please ask.

My style

In therapy I tend to be nurturing, engaged, kind, calm, straight-forward, and sometimes fun. I believe that it is important to have a good therapist/client match so that you feel seen, safe, and have the opportunity for growth and change. I like to work collaboratively. We’ll work together to set specific goals and track them throughout therapy.

What happens in therapy?

I am primarily a talk-based therapist, meaning that you come to the office and we talk to help you access feeling and thoughts and new ways of being. I often offer resources, readings, and knowledge about things like the brain, relationships, skills, mindfulness, etc… Based on your comfort level, I will integrate movement, creative, and mindfulness-based techniques to deepen the integration of a new experience. We might take a walk, develop an art project, do a family sculpting exercise to explore relationships, use relaxation techniques, develop mantras, or explore self-compassion. I also believe that therapy can be fun and that humor is important in expression, growth and resiliency.

In our work together I will draw from my experience and training in the following therapy modalities:

• Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) and Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Experiential, Somatic and Mindfulness Practices
• Internal Family Systems, Narrative Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy

For couples specifically, I typically use:

• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
• Pragmatic Experiential Couples Therapy
• Gottman Couples Therapy