(she/her)
Welcome to therapy! I am Theresa and would be pleased to share a bit about myself. Do you find yourself waking up on most days feeling anxious or depressed and/or feel as if you're simply existing in survival mode? I'm glad you're making the first step to feeling better. Starting therapy is hard! A lot of us end up in therapy because we have been condescendingly told there is something wrong with us, or that "we need help."
My approach to therapy is a blend of person-centered, trauma-focused CBT & psychodynamic therapies. I will first prioritize building our rapport, as the best outcome in therapy results when you feel genuinely comfortable with your therapist. Beginning with the first session, we will identify and uncover the trouble you are experiencing. With that knowledge, you will be given the therapeutic space to process how you’ll choose to navigate your concerns with the primary goal being YOUR healing.
My dear clients tend to stay in therapy as a form of loving self-care, which is one of my greatest accomplishments. Please don't believe that coming to therapy means that something is "wrong" with you. Quite the opposite! For many, it is due to how they have been treated by others. I believe the sweet spot of healing begins once we've "put out the fires" and focus therapy on your wants and needs in life.
Are you experiencing anxiety/depression related to difficult people/relationships? Oftentimes, these relationships are inescapable: a parent, child, supervisor/colleagues, intimate partner, your ex, friendships, family members. These relationships may be difficult due to the power dynamics and therefore we can feel trapped. Others in your life may (or may not) understand what you’re facing and offer you well-intentioned but bad advice. Or perhaps you’ve decided to not disclose these concerns to anyone, which is very common!
I’ve been using trauma-focused CBT in my practice for the past seven years. I use this approach to meet the specific needs of every client, as it pertains to overcoming trauma related difficulties stemming from child abuse or maltreatment. I use this treatment to help my clients build flexible coping strategies, process their traumatic experiences and reduce avoidance.
I've been using psychodynamic therapy in my practice for 5 years as a way to help clients explore how their unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories influence current behavior. I use this style of talk-therapy to help my clients gain insight from past experiences and understand how these experiences shape their present relationships and behaviors (motivations and conflicts)