Approaches & Modalities
I begin psychotherapy with one to three intake sessions to get a sense of what you hope to gain from therapy and to arrive at a mutual understanding of the concerns that brought you to this work. From there, we will work collaboratively to create a relationship that facilitates a deeper understanding of yourself so you can expand your range of awareness, develop a sense of possibility about new ways of being, and clarify your intentions about how to live a life that is more fulfilling and satisfying to you. I work intensively, meaning we meet at least once to three times weekly on an open-ended basis.
Therapy with me is process-oriented. This means that psychotherapy takes on a psychodynamic perspective, focusing on the ways your past impacts your current experiences and processing feeling states and insights as they emerge in the present moment. The therapeutic relationship is a confidential, safe, and professional space—boundaried yet deeply personal—designed to help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself. My approach is gentle, interdisciplinary and rooted in liberation psychology. Together we will work through the core issues underlying your struggles, fostering growth and lasting change.
Consistent psychodynamic psychotherapy has been proven to be highly effective. It sets in motion effective psychological processes that lead to ongoing change, continuing to work even after therapy ends.
Strategies I Incorporate
Internal Family Systems (or “parts work”)
We contain multitudes. Each part of you is valuable and worthy of our care and attention. Together we can discover, give voice to and befriend the many parts and facets of you. In therapy, we can make room for your inner wise Self who knows how to heal and move towards wholeness.
NARM
Neuroaffective Relational Model
NARM stands for NeuroAffective Relational Model, a therapeutic approach that helps people heal from complex trauma (C-PTSD). It focuses on early trauma, attachment issues, and relational difficulties. NARM helps people develop healthy connections between their mind and body. It works by helping people regulate their nervous system and reconnect with emotions that were once too dangerous or frightening.
Sensorimotor Trauma Therapy
Trauma that has not been processed can continue to be re-experienced on a somatic (body) level with symptoms such as physical pain, numbing, hyperarousal of emotions or a rapid heart beat. Together we can become more aware of how your body communicates emotions, decipher your body’s messages and help you manage those feelings and physical states by developing inner and outer resources that will support you in your healing journey.
Enneagram and Personality Typologies
Self-awareness is a powerful catalyst for transformation. Personality typologies like the Enneagram can empower self-growth and deepen understanding and acceptance of self by identifying strengths, inclinations and challenges. The enneagram can lend us a way to examine how you relate with yourself, others and the world.
Therapeutic Tools
Mindfulness and Awareness Practice
Mindfulness teaches us how to be in the present moment, foster a sense of calm and clearheadedness and cultivates non-judgment, curiosity and kindness towards ourselves and others. I will help you build awareness of feelings, thought patterns and physical states and we will collaborate on developing inner and outer resources that will support you along your healing journey.
Grounding tools
Grounding techniques help reduce anxiety, overthinking and feelings of overwhelm by bringing your focus back to your physical experience. Together we can develop an arsenal of tools that you can access at any time to help you focus on your body and surroundings rather than on possible and unwanted future outcomes or unfortunate past events.
Wise Mind
Cultivating “wise mind” invites us to learn how to take the middle path between reason/logic and emotion. It builds greater connection to your intuitive knowing which leads to balance, clarity and perspective.
Nonviolent Communication
Nonviolent communication (NVC) is a powerful tool for better relationships and social change. NVC helps us to be clear with ourselves and others about what we think, feel, believe and need. NVC fosters self-responsibility, honesty and compassion by inviting us to begin brave conversations with our own needs and values, while listening deeply to others in the process.
“And the speaking will get easier and easier. And you will find you have fallen in love with your own vision, which you may never have realized you had.
And you will lose some friends and lovers.... And new ones will find you and cherish you. ... And at last you'll know with surpassing certainty that only one thing is more frightening than speaking your truth. And that is not speaking.”
— Audre Lorde