My Approach to Helping
You're looking for someone who understands the running thoughts, the constant worry, the perpetual dissatisfaction with life and yearning for something to change. You just don't know how to get there. You may even feel alone in your inability to be happy in the world while you imagine it must be so easy for everyone else. You will find that therapy with me that is collaborative, nonjudgmental, and personalized to your experiences and preferences. Our work together is just that, a team approach. You won't be left to navigate your healing while I nod in the corner and ask you "How does that make you feel?" That would drive us both nuts.
Together we can get to the root of the issues; we can find the authentic parts of you that have been hidden to meet expectations. We will undo the "shoulds" you place on yourself, discover your true values, your unique identity, and help you embrace life with confidence and joy. You'll gain coping skills to navigate the hard parts that naturally come with living life to the fullest and useful insights into how to step out of your own way and allow yourself to be happy and fulfilled.
More Info About My Practice
Whether you're seeking counseling for yourself, you and your partner, or your teen, you've come to the right place. You don't have to settle for an "okay" life or a relationship that leaves you wanting more. If I feel I cannot help you, I will be honest and provide you a referral and point you in the right direction. While my depth of experience extends from addictions to personality disorders, from relationship issues to severe anxiety, I know my limits and won't pretend to be the expert in problems I know I'm not trained in how to solve.
You deserve a therapist who is competent, hard working, and dedicated to helping you achieve your best life and becoming your best self. I pride myself on being able to be equals with my clients and jump into problems with them, not just talk at them from a pedestal. I'm the expert in mental health, you're the expert in you, let's work together to get you where you want to be.
How Psychotherapy Can Help
Therapy is not simply just coming in and sharing your problems and being told what to do. It's an open dialogue with someone who can find connections and correct underlying thought patterns and behaviors that get in the way of you living the life you want to be living. If you're looking to have better relationships, for instance, we would assess current relationships and identify what's dissatisfying, what your goals are, how you want to feel and behave in relationships, what factors into you choosing relationships, and how you may be reenacting unhealthy patterns you saw in relationships growing up. There's so much that goes into therapy and the bulk of it is learning skills, changing perspectives, developing a better understanding of yourself and your internal world, and releasing the parts of your past that hinder your progress forward. Psychotherapy is about becoming emotionally connected to yourself and others, developing greater awareness, and increasing effective behaviors that reinforce who you are and what you want your life to be like.
Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed
It takes courage and strength to admit that you don't have all the answers and don't know how to get to where you want to go. It takes vulnerability and humility to admit that perhaps you are the cause of some of your problems and to acknowledge that you want to change things. Even the fact that you're considering going to therapy demonstrates that you have a level of insight and a drive for better that most people don't share. It's not easy to call ourselves out and admit that we have faults, and these faults do not make us weak, they make us human. There is no perfect specimen - we are all just trying to do the best we can and sometimes we need help to do better.
Importance of the Client-Therapist Alliance
Contrary to what most people think, choosing a therapist is more about the fit of personalities than about their qualifications. Tap into how you feel when reading through therapist bios and find one that appears welcoming and elicits a sense of warmth. The therapeutic relationship actually becomes a model for other relationships in your life, so it will develop also over time and may hit a bump or two. Take advantage of free assessments and speak with a few before you decide. You will also want to ask and ensure that they can help you with the problems you are bringing into therapy, so do not be afraid to ask about trainings they have received or modalities they highlight. Finding a good therapist is a lot like finding a good pair of shoes. You want a good fit first and foremost, one that can provide strong support but who does not do the walking for you. Clients guide the therapeutic process, the therapist is there to point out blind spots and potholes along the way.
Clinicians who offer sliding scale payment structures may offer lower or reduced fees based on an individual's ability to pay. Please contact this clinician for more details regarding their fees or sliding scale policy.
