Hi! My name is Claire Pichel and I am happy you are here. It takes a lot of courage to reach out for support and start looking for a therapist, and I respect that. I have experience working with clients who suffer from trauma, as well as mothers who are facing postpartum depression or pregnancy loss. I have also worked with clients who are suffering from narcissistic abuse in a family. I have deep empathy and respect for my clients’ specific challenges. I am trained in EMDR, maternal mental health, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and commitment Therapy. I also have an MA in Somatic Psychology and almost all of my work with clients uses mind-body interventions including breathwork and movement . My approach to therapy is a collaboration between the therapist and the client, one based on mutual respect and done in the spirit of curiosity and compassion. I utilize a combination of what we call "top down" and "bottom up" approaches, meaning I work with both your mind and your body to address issues and challenges you might be facing. In between sessions I often assign homework in the form of exercises and reading. But most importantly, I do my best to create a warm and empathetic place where you feel seen, heard and valued.
In our first session I will do a thorough assessment to get a sense of your needs, as well as your goals for therapy and to make sure we are a good fit. Once I have a better understanding of what you hope to get from our time together, we co-create your treatment plan. The following session, we start our work.
I work to create a warm, safe space so we can build trust, and you feel heard and seen. Together, we will develop the skills and practices needed for you to live a healthy, fulfilling and balanced life, and help you uncover your strengths. I am passionate about holistic therapies and the profound change they bring to my clients' minds, bodies and hearts, and I look forward to seeing what our work together brings you.
I am passionate about working with clients who suffer from postpartum depression or perinatal mood disorders, who are seeking EMDR for trauma, or who are struggling with narcissistic abuse in a family.
I use EMDR to help people resolve PTSD from a single traumatic incident and C-PTSD for trauma that has been inflicted over a period of time, especially Narcissistic Abuse.
Somatic Psychology looks at therapy through the lens of the connection between your mind and your body, which work as a feedback loop. You cannot work with the mind without also addressing the body and vice versa. This means I incorporate, breath work, movement and mindfulness based practices into my therapy.
When we understand out attachment styles, we begin to have more freedom and choice in our relationships. It's the therapeutic relationships that is the most effective form of attachment repair. I also help you better understand how your attachment developed, and how it shows up now.
CBT is a very practical approach to addressing "automatic negative thoughts". With CBT, I will ask you to identify these thoughts and challenge them to gain greater flexibility and to be able to see things in "shades of grey". I primarily use this in treating anxiety.
At the heart of humanistic therapy is the belief that you are the expert in your own life, and that your experience as a human should be met with empathy, validation and unconditional love.