Therapy that promotes UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATION WITH

YOUR TRUE self and your life STORY

Like any good book we often are eager to get to know how the story is going to end.  We hope that the characters we’ve come to care about receive all that they deserve.  Perhaps, we are hoping that they live happily ever after.  But, what if we never took the time to read the earlier chapters? What if we dismissed the slower parts of the story, or skipped over the details that give it meaning? Sure, we may not know all of the plot details and that’s not always that important. If we gloss over story elements like character development, conflict, narrative themes, setting and other contextual factors, how are we going to fully understand and appreciate what unfolds?  A good book doesn’t just tell us what happens, it evokes emotions and invites reflection.  A true page turner draws us in, helping us to become deeply aquainted with it’s characters and their lives. And it’s only through that understanding that we find ourselves genuinely invested in what comes next.

Finding fulfillment in our lives is no different.  Along the way, we are all exposed to people and experiences that shape us in both positive and negative ways.  We humans try the best we can to cope and deal with our relationships and experiences.  Some strategies that we try are healthier than others. Among those experiences that all of us will have to live through is loss.  Our losses can come in many forms. The most obvious of losses is that of a loved one.  But there are so many quieter, less acknowledged losses that can carry just as much weight. When couples end a relationship, when individuals discover their health is in jeopardy or parents learn that their child has medical or developmental challenges?  

Losses of all kinds mean letting go of the life we thought we would have. It often causes us to feel unsteady as though we are no longer standing on solid ground.  Sitting with grief can feel unbearable, so we look for ways to skip ahead and to turn the page before we’ve fully lived what’s there.  Avoidance can take on many forms.  A few examples of avoiding our pain are perfectionism, overworking and seeking relief through addictions or other numbing behaviors.  We may cope by becoming consumed by our emotions or we may choose to detach and deny them.  Either way, the loss is still there and it will wreak havoc on our physical, mental and emotional parts if we do not address it. 

The truth is that like any half read book, our efforts to avoid our pain do not bring us real fulfillment. Moving forward begins with a willingness to understand our own story.  As the saying goes, "time heals" but only when we tend to the wound.  It isn’t until we gently turn toward the source of our hurt that we can begin not only to accept it, but to make space for a new chapter. Therapy offers a place to do this work. It helps us understand our story and the ways it continues to shape us. It creates an opportunity to pause, reflect, and respond to life’s challenges with intention rather than simply reacting. Over time, we learn how to shift our perspective in a way that allows us to integrate our past with our present in a way that feels more whole.  

And in doing so, we often discover something important: it’s not solid ground we’ve been searching for. What we’re really seeking is the ability to care for ourselves when the ground beneath us feels unsteady. Our story does continue forward, and with support, we can begin to create more meaningful chapters.

I hope that you will take the time to put your emotional health first and create a life with more joy, fulfillment and connection.

THERAPY SERVICES OFFERED

• Adult Psychotherapy

• Couples Counseling

• Family Therapy

• Complicated Grief Therapy

• Parenting Support

HOW I SERVE BEST

• Anxiety

• Perfectionism

• Chronic Stress

• Depression

• Complicated Grief and Trauma

• Peer Relationships

• Adjustment Difficulties

• Parenting Issues

MY Approach

I draw inspiration from a wide variety of sources. My clinical work is based on developing a greater capacity for insight, self-compassion and emotional resilience.

APPROACHES

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

• Family Systems Therapy

• Emotion Focused Therapy

• Compassion Oriented Therapy

• Attachment Theory

• Mindfulness Practices