I was recruited into a cult during my freshman year of college. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me, but it was also the best thing that ever happened to me, because it made me who I am today. My cult experience didn't just inspire my choice of career, it also inspired the type of issues that I am passionate about working with: 1. TRAUMA/PTSD. This includes all types of trauma (physical, emotional, psychological) and residual trauma symptoms (OCD, anxiety, depression). 2. SELF and RELATIONSHIP ISSUES, including: a. CODEPENDENCY (i.e. people pleasing, inability to say no, fear of upsetting others, lack of assertiveness, chronic feelings of obligation). b. PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE (manipulative friends, family, romantic partners, controlling relationships, cults, abusive churches, workplace bullying, hazing, sexual coercion, undue influence, toxic people of all kinds). c. IDENTITY CONCERNS (i.e. Narcissism, DID, Former Cult Members, lack of purpose/identity, career and higher education concerns). 3. SLEEP ISSUES: Chronic Insomnia, Nightmare Management, and help with CPAP/Obstructive Sleep Apnea challenges. I also enjoy doing dream interpretation. Do any of these describe you or your situation? If so, I'd love to meet you and talk about how we can work together to overcome your struggles. Feel free to browse through my profile and if you feel so inclined, make an appointment so we can work toward restoring balance to your world again. PLEASE NOTE: Individual adults only (18+). I do not work with minors or couples. Please be sure to complete the Intake Form before our first appointment. Failure to do so will require us to spend our first session completing it together.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
My goal is to get you to the point where you don't need me anymore. Like physical therapy, the goal is to achieve "maximum medical improvement." I am very skills oriented and I use a teaching style to teach you these skills. I am committed to focusing on solutions, but I also appreciate the value of needing to be heard, especially if you were in a situation where you never felt that you had a voice. Most of my clients spend approximately 3-6 months working with me.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I have spent the past 30 years educating myself and my clients on subjects such as groupthink, mind control, and psychological abuse. My personal experience taught me to question, question, question!!! For this reason, it is common for me to reject therapeutic concepts that I feel are more based in tradition rather than actual therapeutic benefit. Secondly, I did not study psychology as an undergrad; I majored in Theatre, and I always say it was the best education in human behavior I could have asked for! My background in drama has sharpened my diagnostic skills and given me unique insight into the concept of the self.