About My Practice
I work with both individuals and couples; and see folks both in person and online. I utilize a relational and psychodynamic approach within these modalities - focusing on the wholeness of body-mind-psychology and the inherent ability of all humans to heal.
I have particular experience in the areas of trauma, sexuality (both identities and expressions), depression, anxiety, and work with couples. I also specialize in nervous system dysregulation due to chronic stress and/or trauma, attachment ruptures, and illness.
As a somatic-psychotherapist my work is always informed by current neurophysiological research but even more so by a deep understanding that our lived experience of ourselves, others, and the events in our lives, is shaped by the interwoven nature of mind, body and spirit. Likewise, I recognize and support the necessary awareness of the collective and personal traumas that arises out of oppressions of all kinds.
I am also a senior assistant in the Somatic Experiencing training program and offer professional consults to Somatic Experiencing trainees as well as other mental health practitioners. Click for more information about Individual and Group Consults.
What to Expect From Therapy
I don’t believe people need to be in therapy their whole lives in order to heal. The path to change can be short or long, simple or complex - but every path has a common element: finding a different way to relate to ourselves and our experience. True growth is not measured by change around us, but rather by change within us. I see my job as a therapist as helping people find greater capacity and resilience within themselves to process the difficulties that life brings.
When life throws things at us that feel too big to deal with, part of our vitality (life force) gets spent in protecting us from the thoughts and feelings associated with that unwanted experience. When we are compassionately supported to be able to “feel all the feelings” we will be able to free up the energy that was trying to protect us; we will feel more alive; more ourselves again.
Because we are not simply minds walking around in the world, I have found that it is crucial to involve the whole embodied person in the process of change. I practice a somatic treatment model, which includes exploration or our bodies' natural defense mechanisms which are designed to protect us and keep us safe.
While individual treatment may look different for different folks, there are a couple of commonalities. Healing happens in relationship: we need to be seen and heard, and have our experience reflected back to us with compassion. Healing happens with support and containment: it is so often what was missing during the original experience. Healing happens in wholeness: when we allow the body’s response to direct us along with emotions and meanings. Healing happens when we can embrace complexity: not even our worst experiences are purely black and white; nothing in life is “all good” or “all bad.” And healing happens when we allow ourselves to fully embody our experiences, notice we have survived, and move forward with more of ourselves present and available. This is the path towards resolution and towards greater vitality.
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