Approach

Practicing mindful awareness, self-compassion, cognitive flexibility, emotional acceptance and body based (somatic) felt sense regulation positively increases our ability to cope with stress, painful experiences, and uncomfortable emotions.

I utilize a creative holistic approach centered in mind body integration to remember who we are.

I offer a non-judgmental, safe environment for us to explore and develop tools to address distressing challenges related to emotional health, physical body, and subtle energetic body. Our work together involves expanding conscious awareness of thoughts, values, needs, and felt senses and deep unconscious wounding behavior patterns.

We may use a variety of lenses to delve deeper into the challenges that bring you to therapy – such as the style of attachment you developed with your primary caregiver in early childhood, how big and little traumas have impacted your well being, relational patterns with yourself and others that have shaped you, and the beliefs you have internalized along the way about who you are and what is possible.

Specifically, I often draw upon techniques found in these styles of therapy:

Somatic Therapy: Delving into the wisdom of our physical and subtle energetic body, to discover the resources, stories, deep memories and felt senses it holds. Using guided sensory exercises, breath work, and active imagining both inside the brain and in our bodies to connect with our higher selves & attachment resources to move deeper into our own personal path toward healing. Re-membering our disconnected parts of self and recognizing outdated defense mechanisms trying to keep us safe. Re-connecting with the inner child and re-parenting.

Narrative Therapy: Exploring the stories that shape our identities, and cultivating ones that are more in alignment with our healing path and who we want to become. Dream manifesting, forgiveness, self compassion, relationship healing, re-imagining and claiming our future.

ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy & MBCT: Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy: Identifying, connecting with and activating our personal values. Learning cognitive diffusion (thought distancing) and using Mindfulness (paying attention on purpose non judgmentally for a certain amount of time) to respond rather than react. Becoming open to welcoming and accepting life as it is now. Becoming aware of noticing and making space for all of your experiences, including thoughts, feelings and memories.

Attachment Therapy: Learning how our early childhood experiences shape the way we form relationships with others and ourselves and how these early experiences can our hijack our central nervous systems and how to recognize when we are activated. Learning what unconditional self regard and acceptance feels like so we can more effectively regulate and feel safe to express needs in relationships.

I offer support to individuals going through life transitions, moving through painful experiences, changing patterned behaviors, seeking deeper connections with themselves, to develop skills to live life more authentically.

Together we will develop tools within you to identify and address these challenges with patience, kindness and courage. I commit to embarking on the journey of delving into your life with you and empathically traveling alongside offering support.

My role as a therapist is to assist you in developing compassionate and effective ways to approach your current struggles. As we work together, I will shape and adjust my approach toward therapy to align with your unique values. It is my hope to eventually work myself out of a job and to help you feel more balanced and in control.

If we are not a good fit I will help you find someone who is. I am deeply committed to the work of empowering human beings.

Issues / Treatment
There are times when all of us are overwhelmed by emotions, thoughts, or life challenges.  Transitions often come upon us quickly, and catch us off guard.  I will do my best to help you identify values and priorities. Whether it’s navigating a role change, coping with painful uncomfortable feelings, seeking personal growth, or simply being overwhelmed. I am willing to make the journey towards healing with you.

General Issues: Relationships, Self-Compassion, Early Childhood Trauma, Feelings, Values and Needs Development/ Clarification, Codependency, Personal/Spiritual Growth, Mind and Body Integration, Self Esteem, Coping Skills, Infertility, Sexual/Physical Abuse, Divorce, Emotional Disturbance, Life Planning & Transition, Role Changes, Care giving Exhaustion, PTSD, Decision Making, Purpose, Anxiety, Depression, End of Life Issues, Addiction.

Specializations: Clients frequently find me wanting to work with childhood trauma, self – esteem, codependency, communication/ boundaries, anxiety resourcing & personal growth and psychedelic integration.