Relationships are an important of who we are and how we make sense of our world, and helping individuals experience the relationships they want is a value of mine. This value has lead to pursuing a Doctorate in Psychology and thus far eight years of experience as a therapist. Throughout my training and career, I've always gravitated towards working with couples and helping individuals strengthen their relationships. I've especially appreciated working with couples of different backgrounds including faith, gender identity, sexual identity, relationship structure, and ethnicity. Common concerns in a couples session are: conflict resolution, difficulty communicating needs, and sexual intimacy.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Gift-giving is important in many cultures and hence the gift I want to give to couples is hope. My role in a session is mediator where I observe the interaction between the couple and provide feedback on dynamics that are occurring. I encourage couples to try out various exercises/skills in between sessions to continue to meet their goals. The objective of couples therapy is to consider what's best for the couple as well as the individuals.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
In a couples session, I am inviting, warm, curious, and a grounding presence. My approach to therapy is empowering and encouraging couples to lean into experiences to meet their goals. Along with a multicultural lens, some therapeutic orientations I often pull from are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Emotion Focused Therapy.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Effective communication is a huge foundation in any relationship. Through observing conversations between the couple, I provide feedback on what is going well and areas of growth. Often this is making sure to listen without interrupting, reflecting what was heard before reacting, and communicating needs. Emotions are always present and it can be difficult to ride the waves of our emotions. It can be even more of a challenge to share how we're feeling but can provide so much meaning and understanding. I encourage couples to lean into the experience of sharing emotions with one another to build trust and support. At times when emotions are anger and hurt are at the forefront, it can be difficult to express gratitude and love. It is during these moments that I ask couples to share what they appreciate about each other and what keeps them going in the relationship
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
Students who are in college or graduate school. I also enjoy working with people of color, immigrants, and internationals students.