When your life feels overwhelming, uncertain, or out of control, you may not feel like yourself. Everyday tasks seem a little harder, you may feel more impatient or sensitive, and your mind seems to focus on the wrong things. My goal is to help you navigate through these challenges in a safe and non-judgmental space so you may live a more balanced, authentic, and peaceful life. I believe that what you do in-between counseling sessions is more important than what we discuss during appointments. Therefore, I take an experiential, hands-on approach by providing you with practical tools you can use in your daily life. I see myself as a cheerleader and will work to empower you by identifying and utilizing your strengths, increasing your personal insight, and helping you see these challenges with a different perspective. I genuinely want to help you reach your goals and find relief. I have diverse experience, including binge eating disorder, grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, LGBTQ+, self-esteem, OCD, ADHD, adjusting to college, relationship conflicts, and more.
During our first session I'll be focused on getting to know you. We'll discuss any previous experiences you've had in therapy and I'll ask about your personal background. I'll also explain my approach to therapy and ensure we are a good fit for each other.
I think one of my biggest strengths as a therapist is creating a safe place for clients to express themselves without feeling judged.
ACT focuses on learning to accept and unhook from difficult thoughts and feelings, versus trying to change and reframe your thoughts. From an ACT lens we all experience difficult thoughts and feelings, and problems arise when we get hooked into them, meaning we feel overwhelmed or consumed by them, and then behave in a way that is outside our values. When we unhook from our difficult thoughts and feelings, we can turn our attention towards living within our values. Using ACT interventions I try to help clients learn how to unhook, identify their values, explore ways that one can live within their values, and encourage practicing self-compassion.
Mindfulness is more than just being present in the moment, it's about learning to be present with all things without judgment. This includes thoughts and feelings. Using mindfulness strategies I aim to help you learn how to accept and move through difficult thoughts and feelings without pushing them away or trying to escape from them. I also integrate strategies and philosophies from Buddhist Psychology, which has a strong focus on mindfulness and self-compassion.
I may use strategies from CBT to help clients recognize the connections and influences between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Using that awareness, CBT strategies may be helpful with creating new thought patterns.
I implement EFT strategies to help clients become more emotionally aware and attuned to themselves. By being more emotionally aware, it can help clients unpack and process their feelings, as well as make them more effective at expressing their emotions.
EMDR is an evidence-based practice that is used primarily to treat trauma, though it may be helpful for treating other things as well. I am also trained in the flash technique, which is another technique under the EMDR umbrella.