Licensed Psychologist
SERVICES
Individual Psychotherapy
Even before becoming a psychologist I believed in the power and value of therapy, the sacred place to talk with someone who is trained to listen and help us decipher our lives and move toward change. Where we may have felt stuck within ourselves and our relationships, with the right therapist we may begin to acquire the tools for real and lasting change - change toward mindfulness, peace, authenticity, and ultimately contentment.
I believe that how and what we think of ourselves and how we behave contribute to our mental health and the richness of our relationships. I see our lives as a narrative that contributes to these thoughts and behaviors. Therefore, the more we understand why we think, behave, and feel the way we do, why certain thoughts, behaviors, and relational patterns persist despite their ineffectiveness, the more we can begin to feel empowered to re-think our narrative and change our future.
The path towards more fully knowing oneself - and then using that knowledge towards growth - is unique for each person. Therefore, my work with each client will be different. I provide a warm, empathic, non-judgmental space to build our therapeutic relationship, a crucial factor for growth and change. I believe the people in our life act as a mirror to ourselves; I provide honest, direct, and gentle reflections in order for you to grow in a way that works better for you.
That said, I integrate a number of therapeutic principles to guide my work including, Humanistic/Existential, Interpersonal, Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, DBT-Informed Therapy, and Mindfulness-based approaches. I am also trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy specifically used for PTSD/trauma treatment.
I would be happy to discuss my therapeutic principles with you.
Couples Therapy
Every relationships has its joys, but also its struggles, frustrations, communication difficulties, and resentments. If over time the couple colludes in sweeping these resentments, frustrations, and miscommunications "under the rug," you both will often trip over the growing bump in the rug, potentially leading to more issues, pain, and resentment.
The key to healthy, intimate relationships is vulnerability. However, over time, one or each of you may have begun to guard yourself against feeling vulnerable within the relationship, further deteriorating the bond that had existed between you. In therapy we will start the return to the authentic and vulnerable sharing between you
I have been trained in and have practiced both couples therapy and Transformative Conflict Resolution. In couples therapy my focus is on the relationship and how each of you interacts within the relationship. I am active and direct in the work with the two of you and help each of you gain better listening and communication skills, as well as better understanding of each other. It may also be important to reflect on maladaptive patterns in each of your ways of communicating.
Group Therapy
Group therapy has been shown to be as effective as individual therapy. Therapy groups I facilitate or co-facilitate do not have a specific theme or topic. Instead the commonality between group members is desire for growth and a shared wish for experimenting with authenticity. I often refer to these groups as "test tubes," whereby we can risk trying new ways of interacting with others, all in an environment kept safe by the facilitators.
Groups are 90-minutes one day a week and comprise of between 5-8 people. Myself and my co-leader (another psychologist) help support and challenge each member to risk sharing and experimenting with new interpersonal skills. We as psychologists are there to provide a safe structure in which to do this experimenting.