My Approach to Helping
I have worked since 2005 with clients with depression, stress, men's issues, and other life challenges, primarily in non-profits with marginalized and underserved communities. I see people seeking support for many difficulties, including imposter syndrome, self-esteem, boundaries, vulnerability, excessive guilt and shame, communication skills, difficulty asking for help or saying "no," and more. Reducing self-judgment will help you to make better decisions that are aligned with your core values. This will ultimately free you from negative thoughts or worries so you are more fully available for all the important things in your life.
More Info About My Practice
My acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) approach focuses primarily on clarifying and centering your deepest values. These values become guiding forces in learning to manage the discomforts that come with the inevitable challenges of living a life full of meaning and purpose. I also approach mental health from a multi-cultural, social justice orientation.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
I'm skilled at helping you be more gentle with yourself, reducing self-criticism that only contributes to anxiety or depression. You still hold yourself accountable to your core values, but with more patience and compassion.
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
Life will always have painful, disappointing, or unexpected periods. Mental health does not mean being happy all the time. It means being able to flexibly show up, even in the face of difficulties, and be proud of how we showed up. This also means allowing yourself to make mistakes and not see these setbacks as evidence that feeds a negative narrative about yourself.
My Therapy Focus
I combine primarily Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with psychodynamicattachment theory. The first is great for more immediate action in making changes in learning to respond instead of react out of anger, withdrawl, etc. The second helps to understand where the reactions are rooted, usually somewhere in childhood.
On the Fence About Going to Therapy?
Keep in mind that trying therapy is not set in stone. If you realize after several sessions that you do not feel great about the interpersonal dynamics with your therapist, you can always look for a new therapist. If you realize you are not ready quite yet to go deeper, take it at your own pace and don't let a therapist rush you- or you can always take a break and return later. There's no one correct way to do therapy.
The Duration and Frequency of Therapy
We usually start with once a week and eventually go down to twice a month or once a month, but I am open to whatever works best for you.
