My Approach to Helping
Telehealth openings available, call or email for a free consultation! I'm here to help if you feel stuck, overwhelmed, lost, or confused.
Do you feel stuck, overwhelmed, lost, or confused as you try to understand your place in the world? My goal is to help you become the person you would like to be and to help break out of what's holding you back.
I'm here to listen, to really listen, to you. Self-reflection and discovery can feel scary, and even starting the process can be overwhelming. I'm here to help.
The single most important predictor of success in therapy is whether you have a positive relationship with the therapist. My goal is to find the right therapist for you, even if that therapist is not me. That's why I offer a free consultation to see whether we might be a good fit, and if not, I try to offer some other options of excellent therapists in the area. Please call or email and we will chat on the phone about how we can work together to achieve your goals.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
I treat clients experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, addiction, somatization, relationship issues, men's issues, and existential issues.
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
The purpose of psychotherapy is to help you become the person that you want to be. We are all in the process of becoming at every moment, but sometimes we can get stuck in old patterns and behaviors and have trouble accessing our feelings, values, desires, and needs. Psychotherapy is about creating a place where you can explore yourself, with the help of someone who can ask some questions along the way.
My Role as a Therapist
I'm here to help you get to know yourself while we get to know each other. It might sound simple, but that simple idea is at the core of my approach to therapy. I lead with curiosity and acceptance (and encourage you to have the same approach toward yourself) as we examine the beliefs and patterns that you have learned to hang on to. You will also discover more about how you relate to yourself and others by noticing how we relate to each other in our sessions.
Another way I like to describe my approach is to imagine climbing an unknown mountain for the first time, with me as your mountain guide. I don't know everything about this particular mountain or route, but I do know a lot about mountaineering. The goal of our work is to make it possible for you to climb and explore the mountain, with me there to guide you along the way.
Ultimately, this is your journey, and my job is to support you.
Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist
"Fit", or the relationship between the therapist and the client, is the single-most important factor for success in therapy. That's why I offer a free consultation and to connect prospective clients to other therapists if they feel we're not a good fit. It's more important to me that you choose the right therapist for you than that you choose me in particular.
I encourage prospective clients to meet with multiple therapists to see what feel best for them. You want to feel safe and comfortable with your therapist, and I encourage you to use your intuition when you first meet with them. That doesn't mean you should choose a therapist who will always affirm everything you say... you probably want to be challenged in order to grow. But you do need someone you feel you can trust.
