10 years of experience
During the last 10 years as a therapist, clinical supervisor, and executive clinical director, I’ve worked with individuals who struggle to function in their everyday lives due to their mental health. For some, they make it look like they have it all together. For others, they are back and forth between hospitals or jails. You may find yourself in one of these circumstances or somewhere in between. Regardless, you deserve a life worth living.
For our first session, relax. Let's just get to see if we're good partners. Help me understand how if you woke up tomorrow and you had the life you wanted, what would be different. And then let's start there. Oh, and sometimes I curse.
The relationship between a therapist and client must be a partnership. You are the expert on you, and I am the expert on change; both are needed to make progress. I recognize the balance between needing someone to talk to and getting into the hard work required for change. Together, we can do both. And I’ll be with you every step of the way. Even if sometimes those steps feel backwards. It’s time to change the pattern and get to the life you want to live.
I grew up in a family where you didn't talk about hard things. Avoidance of problems were key. So, ironically, I chose a job where you do exactly that: talk about hard things. I work best with individuals who need someone that will maintain confidentiality, be nonjudgmental, and help them feel that they're understood. My first speciality includes individuals who are in the healthcare field or first responders who have experienced trauma. My second speciality is sex therapy: these are issues with intimacy and vulnerability both individually and/or with partners.
The best part about DBT is that it uses YOUR goals to guide treatment. This is an emotion-focused therapy. Yes, yes, all those pesky emotions. With DBT, you don't have to be afraid of them anymore.