Hi, I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Arizona. I received my Master's from the University of Oregon and have been practicing for 7+ years. I help young adults, and adults struggling with relationship issues, eating disorders, body image distress, inherited generational family trauma, anxiety and women's issues grow to be the best version of themselves.
There’s no question that the idea of starting therapy can be intimidating—especially when you’re not exactly sure what you’re going to be walking into. The first session I will build rapport while asking a series of questions. Things like: What brings you to therapy? What are some of the symptoms you’re experiencing? What are particular goals that you hope to be able to work on throughout the sessions? These will help me get to know you better and also help to outline exactly where to go in your sessions moving forward—essentially it helps to set a game-plan to get you feeling your best. I am not here to judge. The first therapy session is really just an opportunity to get to know me and see if we are a good fit.
One of my greatest strength is my empathetic nature. I am very good at listening and seeing a person's intentions versus their actions. As at truly empathetic individual, I will always respect my client's feelings by giving responses that appropriately reflect the client's situation and mood. I also have a warm and soft voice which allows client's to feel comfortable almost immediately.
I utilize Attachment therapy to guide clients with a deeper understanding of their emotional needs and vulnerabilities. I do this through exercises, reflections, and open dialogue. Couples can develop greater trust, intimacy, and a stronger foundation for navigating challenges by cultivating a more secure attachment bond. Attachment refers to how we relate to others and how we feel about the important people in our lives. Our attachment style is based on our experiences early on in life, and the type of care we received from our caregivers. If there wasn’t much warmth or your family was more an ‘arms length’ kind of family, you may be dismissing — if you had a lot of disruption or people leaving, you might be more the anxious type. If the people that you had in your life growing up were unpredictable or frightening, you might be more of the ‘mixed’ attachment style — because you’ve received conflicting messages about what you can expect from the people close to you. Attachment style determines so much of how we relate to the world. It can even determine what kinds of ‘problems’ we have, in our friendships or at work. Attachment style relates to a concept which we term ‘object relations’ — which is really how we perceive other people in our lives.
I believe that therapy is a collaborative process between the client and therapist. My view of therapy is that the therapist is not the expert, but rather the client is the expert of their own life. My work as a therapist is to help the client through the process of re-discovering themselves in healthier ways of being, and in relating to others in their life. One of the biggest advantages of person-centered therapy is its emphasis on empowerment and self-discovery. Unlike some therapeutic approaches that position the therapist as the expert, person-centered therapy puts you in the driver’s seat. It’s like being handed the keys to your own mental health journey and being told, “You’ve got this!
I utilize Existential Therapy to encourage clients to examine their own experiences, beliefs, and values to confront and resolve existential dilemmas and find a sense of purpose and authenticity. Unlike other therapeutic approaches that may focus on specific symptoms or disorders, Existential Therapy addresses broader existential concerns and helps clients navigate the complexities of their lives. Existential Therapy is a therapeutic approach that emphasizes the exploration of fundamental aspects of human existence. Existential Therapy focuses on exploring fundamental themes such as meaning, freedom, isolation, and death. Clients are encouraged to reflect on these themes and their impact on their lives. Clients are also encouraged to examine their sense of authenticity and take responsibility for their choices and actions. This involves exploring how they live in alignment with their values and beliefs.