I believe that therapy can heal, but I also know that telling a stranger about your deepest pain can be a strange feeling. Perhaps you've been feeling sad, depressed or worried, and hopeless that anything in your life can change. Or maybe you aren't sure what you would even want help with. You know you feel bad, but if someone were to ask you "How can I help?", you aren't sure what you would say. These problems can feel permanent and unsolvable. After all, something feels broken and unfixable, so how could you not feel that it takes all the energy you have just to get up in the morning and go about your day? Depression or anxiety can also feel isolating, as if nobody else could possibly understand. You may have even received advice from people who you feel mean well but can't understand what you're going through. Depression and anxiety are not permanent or unfixable, and therapy can help. Imagine feeling peace of mind, and excited about life and its possibilities. It starts by learning about you and going at your pace. As a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with over 16 years experience working with adults and teens, I've seen therapy work, and I feel lucky that I get to be part of that journey for others.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session, we'll focus on getting to know you. We'll spend about 15 minutes talking about how therapy works and going over a few business items, and then we'll spend the rest of the time getting to know who you are and what's important to you.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
As a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, I use a variety of methods including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Experiential Therapy and Object Relations. What they're called isn't what matters though. What it all comes down to is therapy works best when there's understanding and trust, when you feel valued and respected, and when you have the chance to be the expert on your story. Our goal will be to understand the problem and its history, uncover and honor the strengths you possess in your life, and realize the possibilities that seem hidden or out of reach.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My clients almost all say they feel respected, I'm interested in them, and I believe in them. I don't talk down to my clients and I believe we are a team working together. I also understand depression in a very personal way. It's in my family, and I myself went to therapy for help with depression years ago before I became a therapist to help others. I'll never forget what it felt like to first open up to a stranger about my problems, and I always use this as a tool to show empathy for others.