My Approach to Helping
You are absolutely worthy of happiness and a better life. Are you ready to try something new and step in to the light?
Regardless of family structure, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, race, or other minority identity, you are welcome. Though it’s up to you to determine whether I meet the definition of ‘ally’, I will always do my best to provide a welcoming, inclusive, safe space for all, and view therapy through a social justice lens.
People who come to me are often asking themselves: Will it ever get better? What's wrong with me? Who am I? Is what happened to me violence? Will I ever make peace with my body? Why did my family keep this secret? Why can't I get over 'it'? What do I do, now that I know the truth? I've worked my butt off my whole life, so when is it my turn to feel better?
I have extensive experience working with intimate partner violence and narcissistic abuse recovery, disordered eating, coping with emotionally immature parents, religious trauma, separating from high demand groups, burnout, adopted folks, new therapists, and traditionally marginalized people (BIPOCLGBTQetc). Many of my clients struggle with shame, perfectionism, restriction, fat stigma, child and adulthood sexual abuse, or just plain feel like their lives are a mess.
More Info About My Practice
As a Social Worker, my style is eclectic. I'm less worried about which modality we're using and more worried about connecting with you, learning what your lived experience is like, and providing insight. Techniques used vary session to session, based on your needs, in the moment. To me, our work together is not about what’s “wrong” with you – it’s about what happened to you, and how you can move forward in a new way. I bring a broad range of experience to our relationship - hospital, hospice, child abuse prevention, sexual violence, domestic violence, anti-oppression community work, adoption search and reunion, legislative advocacy, and more. My style has been called refreshingly honest, direct, and I've been told I have a good "BS detector". I enjoy helping people learn to become better at trusting their own intuition. I like helping people who feel like their "life is a mess", and want to start living differently by making big changes. There is a lot of laughter in my office.
Had a Negative Therapy Experience?
Yikes. I've heard so many stories. Especially for folks who were adopted as children, or experienced trauma. It's not uncommon for me to encounter people who've seen numerous (anywhere from 2-8) therapists in their lifetime before me. They often say things like "no one has ever asked me that before", or "I feel like something's been missed", or "something still isn't working, and I don't know what it is". In my experience, with the people I have worked with, it's usually one or more of the following: religious trauma (persecution, oppression, or high demand groups); disordered eatingbody image; developmental trauma (family separation, adoption, abuseneglect); sexual trauma as a child or adult; racial or cultural oppression; andor a few other things. I will do my best to provide what you feel is a safe environment, and try to get to the heart of what's been missed in the past. My professional ethics are extremely important to me and I take them seriously.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
I was adopted as a child and have been reunited with my biological family for 25+ years, and I see people affected by family secrets, adoptionfoster care, post adoption searchreunion, childhood orphanage experiences, and DNA discoveries. Many, if not most, of the folks I see are struggling in many of these areas at once, and are tired - down to their bones. I'm also someone who's experienced burnout and body image issues, and someone who's gotten through it with deep and extensive self-care, reflection, and big life transitions. I get it - change is hard, but you already have what you need within you to make it happen. If you're telling yourself you should be able to get better on your own, that's really not true. It's a made up rule you're telling yourself and it's rooted in stigma. Everybody needs some help sometimes!
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.
