Service Offerings
Individual Therapy:
I work with individuals who are teens through adults. When working alongside an individual, I have a relational approach as opposed to a brief intervention style of therapy. Building rapport takes time, and there is relief found in being witnessed, not just in applying strategies. Personally, I’ve been in therapy for a long time. I remember many of the feelings I’ve had: overwhelmed, exhausted, feeling like I didn’t have enough to bring, intimidated, comforted, inspired, exposed. Because there are so many emotions that may arise, I utilize somatic techniques, like focusing on breathing, what the body is experiencing, and sometimes slowing down a flow of words to check in on how someone is feeling physically. Many of those I’ve worked with have reported learning to trust themselves better, beginning to build boundaries, valuing their own needs and feelings while learning to express them effectively. A lot can be learned in individual therapy, and there can be reflection upon communication patterns and styles of relating which often come up in every area of a person’s life. It’s amazing how well we both know, and don’t know, our own selves. This is a lifelong journey, whether in therapy or not. As the inscription on Apollo’s Temple from ancient Greece states, “above all, know thyself.”
Couples Therapy:
One thing I love about couples therapy is seeing relationship dynamics demonstrated in real life. Each couple is different in their needs and desires, so that is often the first thing I check in about—what are the needs and desires of the individuals involved in this coupling? Sometimes people seek therapy for relationship maintenance and to learn to communicate more effectively, as well as to take time out to invest. Other times, people are seeking discernment for what’s next, whether that includes a new commitment, a change in the relationship agreements, or a recognition of the need for separation or divorce. Couples therapy involves vulnerability as someone else sees the inner workings of what is often held very privately. I employ elements of Emotionally-Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy and seek to build common language. Above all the goal is for each party to humanize oneself and the other.
Family Therapy
There is almost nothing in life that impacts us as much as family of origin dynamics. The roles and patterns created from the earliest ages are likely to follow us throughout our lives. I provide information about Attachment Theory to help family members identify themselves and understand one another. I often utilize a tool called a genogram, which is a comprehensive family map offering a detailed view of the history and significant events in a family. I am sensitive to cultural impact, whether multi-racial family dynamics, factors such as adoption (especially when that is transracial), experiences of immigration, of blended families, of shared or unshared religion, and socioeconomic locations. This is all to say that families are extremely complex and deserve a deep and attentive level of care, as well as tools for emotional regulation.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is a uniquely enriching endeavor. It offers space to learn, test, risk, trust, observe, and interact with people who may initially be strangers. I plan to offer support groups for specific topics, such as women/femmes enduring divorce, and people healing from religious trauma. Outside of support groups, there may be process groups, which are for the group to determine the focus and purpose. I understand the deep vulnerability required to engage in this way. Even though groups often experience conflict (a natural part of life), ideally, they also offer repair and a chance to see something happen differently than in other venues of life. Each group requires agreements in order to offer healthy boundaries for all involved.