I am a licensed psychotherapist in private practice, in California. My approach to therapy is commonsense, based in Dialog, reflective listening, mindfulness based cognitive therapy in conjunction with breath work, journaling and dream journaling and practicing being present. I take my clients seriously, I take our work together seriously, but I don’t take myself too seriously: my primary purpose is to be of service, to be useful to my clients. Our experiences are a map of where we have been, and what it was like. Our ‘stories’ are a mixture of moments we are proud of, grateful for and moments which we would rather not repeat. Through the therapeutic dialog we can come to understand why we make the choices we make and have an opportunity to discover new choices and decide how our story unfolds from the present moment into the future; with courage and kindness toward ourselves we can reach for the life we want to live and be the person we want to be. By the time my clients ‘graduate’ from therapy they will have developed tools which will continue being useful long after our work together has concluded. Personal responsibility and accountability are cornerstones of freedom.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Our first session will establish the foundation of our working relationship; I will learn what your goals and priorities are and I will provide you some beginning tools for self care.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I use a dialogical approach to therapy in conjunction with MBCT (mindfulness based cognitive therapy), reflective listening, narrative therapy and client education (handouts with discussion). I encourage breathing tools to help clients learn how to self regulate their moods and emotions, and journaling and dream journaling to develop cognitive awareness of how their minds work for them. My clients are the experts on being who they are and our work is to help them become the most skilled and self actualizing version of themselves without shame, guilt, resentments or toxic anger.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Loss and grief - Emotionally preparing for the anticipated passing of a loved one; managing feelings and reactions to a death or loss of significance; support during the process of healing and acceptance. Life transitions - Coping with difficult or impactful life changes, such as moving to a new area, relationship transitions, child rearing, or career changes; learning self-care to better manage resulting stress. Anxiety - Coping with excessive worry, nervousness, or stress; intense discomfort in social settings (social anxiety); sudden and intense feelings of panic (panic disorder). Self-esteem - Cultivating self-compassion, assertiveness, and confidence; developing ways to reduce suffering, anxiety, social withdrawal, and self-neglect. Relationships - Understanding one’s wants and needs in relationships; exploring patterns of interaction, addressing concerns, and strengthening satisfaction in relationships and dating. LGBTQIA topics - Exploring topics of sexuality, gender, and identity; coping with discrimination and oppression; navigating relationship, family, and cultural challenges.