Hi, I’m Andrea. Do you find that you’re struggling to motivate yourself to do anything, or you’re sinking into increasingly negative feelings? Is your mind working overtime with worry, leaving you exhausted? Are you irritable and dread going to work each day? Are you suffering from grief and wondering if you'll ever feel normal again? I provide help for those experiencing lingering unhappiness, constant stress, excessive worry, work burnout, and grief. I am a direct, empathetic, warm and open-minded therapist who can help you find joy and ease in day-to-day life. I will empower you to recognize learned patterns that may no longer be serving you, and to motivate yourself from kindness, not fear or judgment. I incorporate self-compassion and mindfulness techniques with traditional talk-therapy, creating a space for you to build confidence in making decisions, both big and small, that truly align with your values. There is hope, and therapy can help. Let’s work together to get you fully participating in life again!
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
After our first session together, we’re beginning to identify your goals for therapy and how I can help. This usually takes a few sessions as I get to know you, and we will typically meet weekly for at least the first two months. We will work on realistic goals to help you feel better, and I check in frequently to make sure you’re feeling supported in the ways that you need. I never have a set agenda for a session - I like to hear where you are at that moment. I will check in on topics we’ve talked about before when I think they are helpful, and I offer suggestions for new coping tools or ideas you can explore in between sessions so that you can process and integrate what we discuss into your daily life. As your well being improves, we will decide on a plan to meet less frequently.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I combine several evidence-based therapeutic models and tailor my approach for each person. I draw from Psychodynamic and Humanistic approaches, which means we look at unhelpful patterns or habits (typically long standing), and work to understand why they originated and what you might like to do differently. To address negative and unhelpful thought patterns, I weave in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which breaks down the difference between feelings and thoughts, and how that affects your actions (behaviors). I also use Self-Compassion techniques and Mindfulness to help change the way you talk to yourself, so that you can develop a kind inner voice, and no longer be your own harshest critic. You have the power to change and there are tools to help you!
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I am passionate about my work as a therapist because I know what it’s like to suffer with mental health challenges including work burnout, depression, anxiety and grief. My own experiences have enhanced my ability to recognize and provide space for other people’s pain. We are often taught to ‘push through’, to keep going, thinking that will somehow make it better. But it doesn’t. The reality is we cause more distress – and it takes longer to recover – when we avoid our emotions and needs. One of my biggest strengths is that I'm going to encourage you - over and over again - to place your needs first, which sometimes means making scary changes, decisions or having a really hard honest conversation with someone. But you can do it, and I'll be here to help you through.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I am particularly focused on adults ages 30+ who are struggling with depression, anxiety, grief, and work burnout/career changes.