My Approach to Helping
Do you find yourself wondering, “why do I always do this?” Are you trying to figure out why you’re still repeating the same old patterns, even though you want things to change? Maybe even trying to figure out what it is you want or need in order to be happy? We all have blind spots–patterns of thinking and behavior that have been programmed since childhood and therefore feel very normal to us, even though they’re holding us back from living our best lives. Often, we need the insight of someone with an outside view to help us see the bigger picture and connect the dots in order to finally ditch the stuff we’re carrying around that no longer serves us.
As a queer therapist who is also an ex-Mormon, I have personal knowledge of the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, and particularly the trauma that can result from being raised within non-affirming religious communities. I seek to create a safe and supportive space to explore and celebrate our unique personal identities and unlearn harmful beliefs.
I take my clients’ mental health and other issues very seriously, but I also use humor in my approach and firmly believe in the healing power of laughter! Once we get to know each other a little bit, we will work collaboratively to determine what issues are bothering you most and make a plan to address them and work towards solutions. I pride myself on being able to see the big picture and help you make new connections which will help you understand yourself and what you want better.
I am formally trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution Focused Therapy and tend to approach things from a Humanistic and Feminist Theory lens. I am eclectic in that I tend to teach skills and use interventions from a variety of theoretical orientations, based on individual need. My goal will always be for you to have a safe space to process, learn to look at problems in new ways, and learn concrete skills for coping with future stressors.