My Approach to Helping
My counseling style is active, collaborative and compassionate. Many people struggle within their private emotional space and within their important relationships. It can be difficult to ask for help but even more difficult to continue feeling stuck, losing hope that things can ever be better.
I offer help in identifying unhealthy patterns that may be keeping you stuck, heal from painful experiences, explore ways for you and your partner to build a safe emotional space for each other again, discover what it means for you to walk in confidence and begin moving forward to a place where you start living with in greater peace and joy.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
Anxiety
Depression
Abuse / trauma
Unhealthy relationship recovery
Marriage
Relationship
Perinatal mood (such as postpartum anxiety, depression)
Social anxiety
Faith based challenges
Interpersonal dynamics
Communication
Family stress
How Psychotherapy Can Help
Counseling can be of tremendous help to move beyond emotional roadblocks, heal hurts and explore solutions to challenging situations. The goal of most counseling is to help an individual, couple or family to get unstuck, break through unhelpful patterns and help them come to a place of discovery, renewal, peace and joyful living.
My Therapy Focus
Although I have been blessed with a rich variety of clinical experience over the last 20 years, my private practice work focuses on two primary areas: 1) Counseling for Marriage and Relationships and 2) Counseling for Women, more specifically around issues of anxiety, depression, perinatal mood and trauma.
Had a Negative Therapy Experience?
One of the biggest obstacles in starting therapy is a negative experience with it in the past. Starting counseling can feel so risky, but even more so if you have tried before only to end up feeling shamed, misunderstood or dismissed. Although the thought of trying again can feel terrifying, I encourage you to remember that there are a variety of helping professionals available to you. We all have different styles and approaches and, ultimately, you are in control of deciding who is a good fit and when the timing is right.
The Duration and Frequency of Therapy
The duration and frequency of therapy services really depends on the level of emotional distress and the goals for counseling. Most clients choose to come in weekly which helps to develop and maintain a consistent level of progress. I talk openly with clients through the counseling process about scheduling, progress and transitioning to less frequent visits. My goal as a therapist is not to create dependency but to help clients discover and experience new things that will help them now and in the future. Having said that, clients know that my door is always open to them no matter how much time has passed.
