Psychotherapy
My Approach
We plan but life is a series of unexpected events. Some of these events bring joy and others bring sorrow, and the inevitable life transitions and traumas sometimes cause us to lose our way. We also live in a busy, anxiety provoking society that encourages us to be consumers of chronic diversions and indulgences which can compound worry, rumination, depression, anxiety, poor choices, maladaptive patterns, substance misuse, and various addictions. We seek escape and the possibilities are endless.
Our brains did not evolve for this busy world of plenty and sometimes the result is an inability to live our lives peacefully with meaning and agency. As a society, we are driven by pleasure at the expense of happiness and our equilibrium is shot. The balance is tipped to fuel more anxiety and unhappiness, and in our effort to relieve our discomforts we have only invited more. Our culture rewards striving, but it is often this striving that suffocates the very things we hold dear and renders us stuck, repeating the same patterns that hold us back. It is my goal to support my clients to explore these patterns, understand the toll they take, and learn to disengage from them while learning more effective coping.
Sometimes we need support to navigate and tolerate the feeling of discomfort that comes with exploring our patterns and moving toward change and growth. It takes pluck to make change, but it is the willingness to learn to adapt that really counts. I teach and support my clients to develop the psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, insight, and honest reflection needed to adapt and build the awareness and skills necessary to move toward living a healthy life of value and meaning.
Holistic Therapy
There is a bi-directional pathway of communication called the vagus nerve between the brain and body, and body centered interventions have been proven effective in reducing the symptoms of many mental health conditions. For clients who are interested in this approach, I incorporate diverse interventions from Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and balance to facilitate awareness of the body and the messages that are being sent along this pathway of communication. I have studied and applied these interventions for many years and they have been helpful in my work with clients.
My experience has been that people have more effective outcomes in therapy, especially therapy related to trauma, when they begin to explore and understand, through experience, that the mind and body are designed as a whole. I teach my clients to embody their mind as they create change and discover what’s possible. Change comes from awareness more than effort, and because awareness lives in the body, it is beneficial to actually experience it rather than just talk about it from the confines of a chair. Research has proven that an innate intelligence resides in the body and I teach my clients how to tap into this misunderstood and underutilized resource.
Over the years, I have realized that the medical model of mental health care does not adequately address the complexity and richness of the human experience. A focus on diagnosis and symptom reduction is not broad enough for mental health. To counterbalance the inherent limitations of the medical model, I integrate body centered therapy and give additional attention to overall functioning and well-being, and the interconnectedness of the whole person within their environment. The principals that I work with, in addition to evidence-based psychotherapy, are broad and include philosophy, neuroscience, and health education.
Service and Fees
I have designed my private practice studio to align with my style of practice. I maintain a small case load, I offer the time and attention needed to help my clients make transformational change, and I show up with authenticity and wholeheartedness. I prefer to see my clients in person but I understand the need for flexibility and I make virtual visits available for established clients when needed. For a number of reasons, including privacy concerns, I do not bill insurance.
My fee is $250 per hour. Please reach out if you would like a free consultation or if you would like to schedule an appointment.