My Approach to Helping

When I was a child I experienced severe separation anxiety for years. I also struggled with spelling. I could sound the words out, read very well, and speak the words correctly. However, if someone told me to write them I was at a loss. The words were wrong, even if I thought they were right.

These two struggles made my personal, school, and family life much more difficult both emotionally and socially until I entered 8th grade and saw a therapist for the first time. All we did was sit, and talk, and I found her warm, guiding, and inviting. Because of her understanding of me I also worked with another professional tutor who was patient, loving, and helped me with my spelling. One of them helped me conquer my anxiety, and the other helped me conquer my learning delay.

These experiences are the foundation of my passion for this work. I was helped, and so I wish to help others. Those two helpers are a big part of the reason I achieved my doctorate so many years after I knew them.Those two wonderful women provided solutions to me, when I needed them so badly.

Solutions and systems are the two most important aspects of my treatment approach because that is what worked for me, and that is what I have used to help many other families. The pain you may be feeling is very real and needs an effective solution-focused approach to provide relief. That pain may be stress, anger, sadness, feelings of worthlessness, or just difficulty managing life.

Each family, individual, child, or couple presents with their own thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and experiences that are part of their system. I work with you, your child, or your family to understand their system, and through a practical and empathic relationship we begin to discover what is causing the problems and pain they experience. Then we move towards finding solutions that make sense, together. If you or your child need a referral for extra help, I have built a large network for you to access.

I use a bunch of methods that will provide the most relief, quickly. This may involve combinations of different kinds of therapies (dynamic, cbt, mindfulness, etc.) and/or a series of tests to discover precisely what is wrong. We work together, as our relationship is the most powerful method to inspire change.

More Info About My Practice

I provide psychological assessments and school testing as well as school advocacy/consultation for children and teenagers. If your child is struggling in school please consider this service. It truly is life-altering.

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

The diagnosis of learning impairments, developmental disorders, and mental illness of children and adolescents is a specialization of mine. Further, I provide advocacy and school consultation.

I am also skilled in the treatment of couples who are experiencing any number of problems in their marriage.

I have a further expertise in aiding the LGBTQQ community with their specific needs.

What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist

This is such a great question. This is my passion and I love the relationships I am allowed to build. I truly believe the process of therapy is a gift. There is nothing better to me than to help people, children, families heal. I was helped, and so I feel compelled to help others.

My Role as a Therapist

My role is complex, as is yours because our relationship will be complex. But I see the foundations of my role to be the following:

Empathic - Empathy is a skill that needs to be honed, and it is central to all the work I do.
No Judgment - You come as you are, and you are accepted. Every session, every time.
Guiding - I can go nowhere and make no progress without you. But sometimes I notice things that will help and I will share this with you actively.
Solutions - If I know of a method to help you will also have it, and I will try my best to teach it to you in a patient and calm way.

What I Say to People Concerned about the Therapy Process

Just call me, please. Reach out and speak. That's the first, most powerful step. That's all you have to do.