Hi! I'm a therapist with almost 3 decades of experience. But, I've never worked with YOU before and that's what I'm looking forward to! Getting to know your strengths and vulnerabilities and helping you to articulate what's important and meaningful to you in this journey of self discovery excites me. I deeply appreciate the courage it takes to show up and be willing to explore one's psyche, struggles and goals. Thru my own experience, personally and professionally, I've discovered that there is meaning and value WITHIN the struggle, itself. That meaning can help transform how you hold onto that experience. I will engage with you on this path, helping you to develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself. Creating a more positive inner life can impact your outer world - in relationships, parenting, work and self identity.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The first session is about building rapport, getting to know each other, taking a history while also beginning to identify the client's goals. Reviewing confidentiality and "housekeeping" aspects is also part of the first session.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My work is characterized by warmth, attunement and collaboration. My goal is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for you to feel free to see yourself and be seen. I've been told over the years that I'm easy to open up to. I'm curious while also respectful of your process, and I'm able to listen deeply and reflect your experience in a way that might offer another layer of understanding and/or insight. And, humor. I'm a big fan of it. Not in a joke-telling way, but in the way that we human beings can be funny, silly, outrageous, even when we're going thru something serious and painful. There's room for all of our humanity (within limits, of course) to show up in therapy.
About Shelley Fine
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Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Our thoughts influence how we feel which then influences how we behave and show up in our world. Whether it's the world of our partners and kids at home, or at work, or the person driving erratically in the next lane over, or the inner monologue that's always "on", CBT can help identify the persistent, negative and oftentimes, distorted thinking that sets in motion a stream of undermining behavior. Identifying these distorted thoughts and replacing them with a more positive, realistic and encouraging thought can be a powerful tool in therapy.
Psychodynamic
I utilize a contemporary view of psychodynamic theory, meaning, I recognize that early childhood (even infant) experiences can lay a profound groundwork for how we function and experience ourselves, today. Unconscious desires, hopes, fears and resistance can sometimes take charge in our lives; so exploring early childhood and family memories can be important for the real work of how you want to live TODAY, and for the future that you're creating.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
I use EFT with couples as well as with individuals, as I've found that its focus on expressing vulnerability (not an easy thing to do!) with our partner or, even within oneself, is a powerful and often transformative tool within therapy. Honoring each person's vulnerability is something I'm always mindful of and deeply appreciative of the courage that it takes to be willing to be seen.
Humanistic
At the heart of my work with clients is the deep respect and recognition of what it takes to pick up the phone and reach out for help. That desire to seek help, to grow, to say to oneself: "how I'm living is not working...it's not bringing me the happiness and meaning that I so crave" is the absolute jumping off point for beginning therapy. I'm always aware that you are the expert of your life and that we'll work collaboratively to help you create a life that you can feel proud of.
Eclectic
I perceive each client as the individual that they are and it's not until we connect and I learn their history, challenges, strengths and goals that I decide which modality might work best. And, within that modality, there is fluidity, meaning: one week with a client, I may sense that a guided meditation would be useful (Mindfulness therapy) or I may teach some breathing excercises (Mind-body therapy) or we may explore the client "writing a new chapter of their life" if their current story is causing too much stress or pain. (Narrative Therapy). And, always, I hold the possibility of growth and change for the client, even when they can't imagine this for themselves. I do this by perceiving their strengths and the positive areas of their lives that ARE working. (Positive, Strength Psychology & Solution Focused Therapy).