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

My Approach to Helping

Are you feeling off-center? Do you live your life trying to control or please others instead of yourself? Perhaps you have experienced an unexpected event, such as a trauma, divorce, onset of an illness, or change in the way you view yourself, that has left you feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or afraid. Or maybe your family is stuck in the same argument, over and over again? *** At Counseling for Action, I help clients find their center. When you're aligned with your values and conscious of what's been getting in your way, then you can think and choose more freely. I call this Aligned Conscious Thinking, or ACT. *** Because one of the goals of therapy is for you to be able to act, our work together is sometimes active, too. In addition to talking with you, I may invite you to use the sandtray, art, play, or movement. These active therapies help all the parts of your brain and body to align with your goals. When you know who you are and where you're going, you can get there!

 

More Info About My Practice

I provide psychotherapy for adults, teens, children, and families, from ages 4 to 100. * I work with individuals and families experiencing: Trauma * Life transitions * Chronic illness * LGBT concerns * Family stress * Or any event, inside you or outside you, that has knocked you off-balance! If you're in pain, don't wait to get help! Give me a call at 408-390-3680 today.

 

How Psychotherapy Can Help

Feeling like you can work with your therapist is a huge part of good psychotherapy. When it's working well, therapy provides a safe place where you can bring all of your feelings, thoughts, and experiences---perhaps by talking, or by or using play, art, or the sandtray to communicate without words. Often you find out things about yourself that you didn't know before. Together, we can get acquainted with all the parts of you. I can empathize with your struggles and confusion, and I can teach you skills that help you resolve stress or conflicts--- within yourself or with others. As you understand all the aspects of yourself more clearly, and work out your internal conflicts, you are likely to become more able to decide consciously how to act. Your relationship with yourself improves. At the same time, as you express yourself more clearly and use new skills with others, all of your relationships can improve. When you know you who are and where you're going, you can get there!

 

Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed

No one can handle everything alone all the time. Sometimes you need expert help! You'd go to the doctor if your arm was broken, or call a plumber if your drain was clogged and you couldn't handle it yourself. Seeing a psychotherapist is no different. A psychotherapist is like a plumber for emotional pain. Something is causing you distress. Maybe you feel stuck and clogged up. Or you find yourself trying the same things over and over, without success. Maybe you've tried to get some help from family or friends, too, but it wasn't enough. Regardless of all the various things you've tried, it's not fixed yet. Or maybe you feel scared and overwhelmed, with no idea where to start. That's when you seek help from someone who's got some special training and experience that's relevant to your troubles: a psychotherapist. When you first come to see me, I'll ask a lot of questions about you. One of them will be "What have you already tried?" After we troubleshoot your difficulties together, we'll work together to find some new ways to address them. My focus is helping you discover yourself so that you can align with your values and make conscious choices about your life. I call this Aligned Conscious Thinking, or ACT. Counseling for Action can help you choose and move forward.

Services I Provide

• Individual Therapy & Counseling
• Family Therapy
• Group Therapy

Ages I Work With

• Children
• Teens
• Adults
• Elders

Languages I Speak

• English

Groups I Work With

* family therapy
* support for people with chronic illness or chronic pain
* survivors of trauma
* teens and pre-teens and their parents
* members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, including with issues of coming out or gender transition
* recent immigrants
* parenting support, particularly during divorce or step-parenting relationships

Therapy Approaches I Use

• Expressive Arts Therapy
• Family Systems Therapy
• Guided Therapeutic Imagery
• Integration of different therapy models
• Internal Family Systems
• Person Centered / Rogerian
• Play Therapy
• Psychosynthesis
• Sand Tray / Sand Play Therapy
• Transpersonal Psychotherapy
• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Concerns & Issues I Help With

• Abuse: Emotional, Physical, or Sexual
• Trauma
• Occupational & Academic Issues
• Life Changes
• Anxiety, Fear, & Stress
• Emotion Management
• Social Skills & Problems
• Attachment
• Depression & Mood
• Family Problems
• Health & Body
• Childhood & Adolescence
• Relationships & Marriage
• Identity Issues
• Self-Esteem & Confidence
• Sexuality
• Spirituality
• Self-Harm & Suicide