My Approach to Helping
Throughout our lives, we go through events that change us, often permanently. I consider therapy to be a sacred and compassionate space of exploration. It can be exhausting having to explain your story over and over again. Oftentimes we might feel unheard in our daily lives or get fixated on who we “should be” instead of exploring who we already are. Your story has meaning and it deserves to be heard. You are the expert on your own life experiences and identities. You deserve to feel empowered, validated, and safe.
When meeting with a potential client I consider you in the context of your relationships. I also consider how our identities and systematic oppression often impact our opportunities and quality of life. When working together we can move through difficult therapeutic concepts in an accessible and warm way. With your permission, I hope to guide you through challenging life transitions and support you in creating a life that you feel is worth living.
As an art therapist, I use my lived experiences with disability to cultivate empathy and create environments where people can become empowered through art-making, reduce internalized stigma, and experience a sense of belonging. It is my personal belief that art materials are a way to connect with other people, process difficult experiences, and work through emotions. I work from a collaborative, person-centered, relational, and strengths-based approach. This means I will use non-judgment to consider all aspects of your life and identity— while remaining open to things that cannot be changed. I utilize an intersectional feminist lens and I specialize in trauma, anxiety, boundaries, relationships, abuse, sexuality, gender exploration, life transitions, disability, memory loss, identity exploration, and resiliency work.