What's My Approach to Therapy?
My approach is rooted in attachment theory and what I call "attachment-informed reparenting." If you didn't get consistent kindness, safety, and validation growing up, you can learn to give it to yourself now.
I help clients develop three essential skills:
Protection through boundaries - Learning to set limits that work, communicate them clearly, and enforce them without guilt. This includes knowing when to engage with difficult family members and when to step back.
Emotional regulation through self-compassion - Most of my clients are harsh with themselves while endlessly patient with others. We work on reversing this through somatic awareness, validating your feelings, and learning to speak to yourself with kindness.
Genuine self-worth - Not the "I'm good because I help everyone" kind, but the deeper sense of worthiness that comes from pursuing your own interests and joy without needing external validation.
I integrate EMDR, somatic therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and hypnotherapy. For chronic pain or mind-body symptoms, I'm trained in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET).
My style is direct, practical, and real. I don't do therapy-speak. I'll tell you the truth, challenge you when needed, and celebrate your wins. We work on actual skills - what to say, how to say it, and how to manage the guilt and anxiety that comes up when you start setting boundaries.
My Practice & Services
Who I Work With:
I specialize in adults in midlife (40s-60s) exhausted by difficult family relationships. Many grew up with narcissistic, emotionally immature, or mentally ill parents and now deal with similar dynamics with siblings or adult children. They're intelligent, capable people who've spent decades being over-responsible and under-supported. I also help people in midlife create more fulfillment and purpose. In 2022, I published my first self-help book, After 40, Meaning of Life Journal.
How I Work:
I offer therapy exclusively via secure telehealth throughout California. Sessions are 50 minutes, typically weekly. I'm private pay only and provide superbills for clients with PPO insurance.
I always offer a free 15-20 minute consultation to determine if we're a good fit.
What to Expect:
The first sessions are about understanding your situation and family dynamics. We identify patterns, explore what you've tried, and start building skills. This isn't just talk therapy - we do real skill-building, including practicing difficult conversations and developing language for boundaries.
The work can bring up guilt, anxiety, and grief - these are normal and expected. Part of my job is helping you move through these feelings without getting stuck, ensuring you don't abandon your own needs.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
I come from a family with significant mental health and addiction issues. I know what it's like to love people who hurt you, to feel responsible for keeping everyone stable, and to suppress your own needs to maintain peace.
In my 40s, I reached a breaking point. I was exhausted, resentful, and felt like I was betraying myself to maintain relationships that weren't reciprocal. I was lucky enough to find a therapist who taught me that I could love my family AND protect myself. That setting boundaries wasn't selfish - it was survival.
That experience fundamentally shaped how I practice. I know how scary it feels to even consider setting limits with family. I know the guilt, the fear of their reaction, the worry that you're being mean or abandoning them. I also know that on the other side of that fear is freedom, peace, and the capacity to actually enjoy your life.
My own healing journey taught me that therapy isn't about becoming "fixed" - it's about becoming your own reliable source of safety, compassion, and validation.
