Therapy that promotes UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATION WITH

YOUR TRUE self and your life STORY

Like any good book we often are anxious to get to know how the story is going to end.  We hope that our favorite characters receive all that they deserve.  Perhaps, we are hoping that they live happily ever after.  But, what if we never stopped to read all of the earlier chapters in that story? What if we thought that reading the epilogue was a waste of time?  Sure, we may not know all of the plot details and that’s not always that important.  But, aren’t the layers of a story equally important?  If we gloss over story elements like character development, conflict, narrative themes, setting and other contextual factors, how are we going to fully appreciate the story?  A good book evokes emotions and causes us to think.  A “real page turner” sets up the story so that we are motivated to learn more about its characters.  It’s not until we become well acquainted with all of the story elements that we find ourselves eager to discover what will happen in the upcoming chapters.

Finding fulfillment in our lives is no different.  Along the way, we are all exposed to people and experiences that shape us in both positive and negative ways.  We humans try the best we can to cope and deal with our relationships and experiences.  Some strategies that we try are healthier than others. Among those experiences that all of us will have to live through is loss.  Our losses can come in many forms. The most obvious of losses is that of a loved one.  But what about the other losses that we suffer? When couples end a relationship, when individuals discover their health is in jeopardy or parents learn that their child has special needs?  

Losses of all kinds mean letting go of the life we thought we would have.  It often causes us to feel that we are no longer standing on solid ground.   When we experience loss in our lives, we often feel so uncomfortable sitting in our pain and suffering that we do whatever we can to skip past the grieving process.  We begin to try and skip some of the pages in an effort to avoid our suffering.   Skipping pages can take on many forms.  A few examples of avoiding our pain are perfectionism, overworking and seeking relief through addictions.  We may cope by becoming consumed by our emotions or we may choose to detach and deny them.  Either way, the loss is still there and it will wreak havoc on our physical, mental and emotional parts if we do not address it. 

The truth is that like any half read book, our efforts to avoid our pain do not bring us real happiness. The best way to move on with our lives is to understand our story.  As the saying goes, "time heals" but only after we tend to the wound.  It isn't until we examine the source of our hurt that we can begin to not only accept, but also embrace the newest chapter of our story.   Therapy helps us to understand our story and how it impacts us. It offers us the opportunity to learn how to pause and respond to our problems rather than simply react to them.  We learn how to shift our perspective in a way that allows us to integrate our past with our present.  When we are able to do this, we realize that it's not solid ground that we are searching to find.  It is actually the ability to take care of ourselves when we find ourselves on ground that is rocky underfoot.

Our story does continue forward. With support, we can create more meaningful chapters

I hope that you will take the time to put your emotional health first and create a life with more joy, fulfillment and meaningful connection.

THERAPY SERVICES OFFERED

• Adult Psychotherapy

• Couples Counseling

• Family Therapy

• Complicated Grief Therapy

• Parenting Support

HOW I SERVE BEST

• Anxiety

• Perfectionism

• Chronic Stress

• Depression

• Complicated Grief and Trauma

• Peer Relationships

• Adjustment Difficulties

• Parenting Issues

MY Approach

I draw inspiration from a wide variety of sources. My clinical work is based on developing a greater capacity for insight, self-compassion and emotional resilience.

APPROACHES

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

• Family Systems Therapy

• Emotion Focused Therapy

• Compassion Oriented Therapy

• Attachment Theory

• Mindfulness Practices