[Update from September/October 2023: Book with me with the understanding that I am temporarily relocated to Arkansas, but maintaining my California license to see Califirnia patients virtually] Hi, I'm Sharifa. Do you find yourself wishing you could set better boundaries in your relationships with other people? Or want to prioritize yourself and your own needs, but find that others' demands, guilt, or depression get in the way? I empower people who have suffered from non-reciprocal relationships and self-neglecting patterns to break the script of self-sacrifice. Together, we can address your past relational dynamics, and the depression and anxiety that keeps you stuck. I use a plethora of clinical tools based on clients' needs but generally work from a psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and solution-focused perspective. Entering psychotherapy can be daunting, but I am here to provide a supportive and helpful space where you can work to close the gap between the life you wish for in your head, and the one you're living now. I'd love to work with you!
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Clients who work with me can expect to have a psychologist that provides a warm, empathic and supportive space, that is appropriately challenging. I welcome and am responsive to feedback throughout the process. I treat my clients as adults who are ultimately responsible for their own lives, but also take my clinical responsibility quite seriously. I should also mention that I find the appropriate use of humor helpful in therapy. Clients should expect to experience having a space to process, but also take away practical solutions and suggestions for their problems.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
My first method is to get a solid history in a clinical interview at the outset. I love the exploratory toolkit that psychodynamic psychotherapy provides in treatment planning and interventions. In therapy I like to use processing, exploration of defenses, CBT tools such as exploration of cognitive style and schemas/beliefs, and communication, time management, and social skills training. I find that I enjoy using psycho-education in a practical, but also reparative way: often clients benefit from having aspects of their experience explained in new ways. Session-by-session, I focus on the treatment goals, but also the concerns that come up week-by-week.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My training and experience is a a generalist, but I'd say my niche is working with clients on boundary-setting and prioritizing themselves, including people who have the experience of being a late social bloomer (including related mild social anxiety or depression).
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
Clients who want to work on setting better interpersonal boundaries and clients with depression or stress.