My Approach to Helping
Life is full of challenges. Some challenges we are able to find ways to cope with. We adapt and move through these challenges having grown in the process. But other challenges are much more difficult.
Often times, these challenges occur when life does not meet our expectations. Death, divorce, family problems, financial problems, issues with our health, are just a few examples of how life can throw us off course. It is normal for anyone to feel a vast array of emotions such as sadness, anxiety, fear, and anger when faced with these challenge. You might also begin to harbor feelings of self doubt and wonder if you will ever feel "good" again. For other people, sadness and anxiety have become so entrenched that they don't even remember when the feelings began. I feel these are the times when therapy can be the most helpful.
As a therapist, I feel my role is to help you clarify your goals, work through issues from your past that are impacting your present, explore your strengths, and learn positive ways to cope when problems arise. I also believe in the importance of listening without judgment. I have over twenty years experience working with lots of amazing people like yourself, who are wanting to find ways to find happiness and comfort.
More Info About My Practice
I utilize talk, sand tray, art, music, poetry, and drama in my therapy work. Of course, I always look to the person I am seeing to find out what interests them and what might work best. Evening and weekend appointments are available. Please call for a free phone consultation.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
I have extensive experience working with children, teens, and their families as well as adults and couples. I am especially interested in understanding how issues of trauma impact our mental health. I define trauma as any number of situations that create extreme stress in our lives. I also have training in working with gifted children, teens, and adults - who often times will possess both an emotional and an intellectual intensity that can make life overwhelming.
How Psychotherapy Can Help
I feel that often we carry around very negative stories about who we are in the world. Whenever we encounter an experience that goes along with these negative stories, we tell ourselves that it is evidence that our negative way of thinking is true. But in reality, we have a multitude of stories that disprove our negative view of ourselves. Therapy can help us explore those stories so that we don't discount them. I also feel that therapy can help us to be mindful in our every day life and learn positive coping strategies to ensure that we are better able to adapt when we face adversity.
What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist
There are so many memories that I carry with me from my work as a therapist. Sharing this very important space with people who trust me with such intense emotional stories is humbling. But it is also important to note how much I am changed by the work that I do with the people I see on a daily basis. I have learned how to be resilient and hopeful.
I remember seeing a young girl at a store once who I had worked with ten years earlier. She looked at me and her face brightened. She hugged me and was excited to tell me about all of the things she had been doing since our last session nearly a decade ago. These are the moments that make being a therapist so rewarding.
Had a Negative Therapy Experience?
Unfortunately, that is pretty common. I remember someone telling me that they always felt worse after therapy than they did before going. That seems wrong. Of course, sometimes therapy can be hard and can bring up lots of negative emotions. But more often, I feel therapy should help you feel better. I am happiest if you leave a session feeling capable, strong, and with some awareness you didn't have before. And it isn't unusual at all for there to be a good dose of laughter in my sessions. I feel strongly that as adults, we don't laugh enough.
Clinicians who offer sliding scale payment structures may offer lower or reduced fees based on an individual's ability to pay. Please contact this clinician for more details regarding their fees or sliding scale policy.