Helping People Find Therapists & Advocating for Ethical and Healthy Therapy & Marriage Counseling Practices

My Approach to Helping

My desire is to be a support for sustained change in the lives of those who are seeking strong, loving relationships with spouses, partners, family members, children/adolescents, colleagues and ulitmately within themselves. Utilizing Attachment Theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy, I facilitate a moment by moment unfolding of emotional patterns that interfere with true trust and intimacy in relationships. It is my belief that people are most directly impacted by their level of engagement and attachment to themselves and to the people with whom they share their lives.

I specialize in treating families with children diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Complex Trauma, or attachment challenges. Utilizing Attachment Theory and specific strategies for intervening in dysregulated family dynamics, I work in-home and in-office to create secure attachments to support the development of reciprical, loving, parent/child relationships. While love is not enough; it is a beginning.

 

More Info About My Practice

Thirty years is a long time to gather the knowledge, experience, and `wisdom necessary to see with both old and new eyes. It has also been an incredible opportunity to specialize in the Art and Science of Psychotherapy--extensive supervised training opportunities with reknown therapy masters and significant emersion into the latest neuroscience research associated with attachment/emotion theory and practice.

 

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

As a parent of two attachment challenged children and a psychotherapist, it seems I was destined to focus my life's professional work on supporting the healing of other attachment challenged children and the families who support and love them. My own parenting experience uniquely informs my understanding of the hurt, suffering, and frustration of raising children with complex attachment trauma. Because of my own home life, I was driven to learn from the best on how these challenges impact brain development and family dynamics. It only seemed right to share the experience, knowledge, and wisdom I have learned along the way with other families struggling with the same challenges.

 

Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist

Choosing a therapist can seem like a daunting task. What license should I be looking for? How do I know what theory is the best for treating what I have? What do I have anyway? How can I tell if a therapist is "good" or not? 1. Do some research. The GoodTherapy.com site is an excellent web resource to credibly research many of the questions you have regarding licensure, theory, and treatment strategies. 2. Choose a few qualified clinicians that meet criteria you researched in your area and make interview calls to each one. Create a few questions to ask in advance, so you don't get side tracked. Good questions: Are you taking new clients? What is your hourly fee and appointment availability? Tell me about your therapeutic approach to treating (fill in the blank with your issue, concern, or problem). What in your professional background specifically qualifies you to treat (fill in the blank again)? 3. Following each interview, check your gut. Did you feel you had the therapist's total attention? Did the therapist take enough time to ask about and listen to your needs? Did the therapist have experience and training in your need area to satisfy you with treatment experience and competence? 4. Make a preference list, then schedule an appointment with number one on the list. Go to the appointment with the intention of connecting and finding a personal fit. If you don't experience a connection, go to #2, and so on. Best wishes on your journe

Services I Provide

• Individual Therapy & Counseling
• Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
• Family Therapy
• Coaching
• Consultation
• Clinical Supervision
• Home-Based Therapy

Ages I Work With

• Children
• Teens
• Adults

Languages I Speak

• English

Groups I Work With

Adolescents, Parents, Adoptive Parents, Parents of Attachment Challenged Children, Trauma, Children and Adolescents diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Individuals, Couples, Families, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and those questioning

Therapy Approaches I Use

• Body-Mind Psychotherapy
• Coherence Therapy / Depth-Oriented Brief Therapy
• Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing
• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• Mindfulness Based Approaches
• Other - Not Listed Here
• Play Therapy
• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
• Theraplay
• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

My Blog Posts

• Take the Attachment Challenge

Concerns & Issues I Help With

• Identity Issues
• Attachment
• Trauma
• Abuse: Emotional, Physical, or Sexual
• Childhood & Adolescence
• Family Problems
• Depression & Mood
• Anxiety, Fear, & Stress
• Relationships & Marriage
• Sexuality