Relational

My entire practice background has been rooted in the Relational Approach to healing, which holds that progress and healing can only occur in the context of a trusting, positive relationship.  I understand that trust takes time, and you will find my warmth, patience, and open-heartedness helpful in developing a trusting, therapeutic relationship and creating a space for healing to occur. 

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Strengths Based

It is common to come in to therapy not feeling empowered, but I relentlessly hold on to the belief that you have within you the ability to overcome whatever is challenging you, no matter what degree of distress you are experiencing.   I am here to to help you access your inner healing potential so that you can grow, gain new confidence, and feel empowered beyond the therapy session.  I see and honor you as the expert on your healing path and guide with curiosity rather than knowing and interpreting.  

Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is the primary healing modality that I use. In August of 2016, I began a year-long, formal training in IFS, and this experience and training has had the most profound impact on me personally and professionally.  It has given me a framework that pulls together much of the work I was doing, but with a new purpose and perspective.  I have a greater understanding of what my clients are presenting, clarity about why clients may get stuck, and a clear direction for helping them move forward and go deeper.  IFS allows us to get to know your challenges and vulnerabilities with compassion, curiosity, and non-judgement, and has been incredibly transformative for my clients and myself personally.

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Internal Family Systems is an evidenced based, mindfulness practice that assumes:

*We possess a variety of sub-personalities or parts that often show up as challenges or "symptoms".  When we get to know them, we learn about their protective roles and the more vulnerable parts of us they are protecting. 

*We have within us a Self that can facilitate healing.

*When we build relationships with our parts, we gain more access to Self, and can offer healing to and releasing of the burdens or negative beliefs they are carrying.

*Releasing these burdens leads to personal growth and more positive well-being.   

To read more about IFS, click here. 

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Trauma- Informed

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I have been working with clients impacted by complex, relational, and systemic trauma for over 25 years.  I respect and honor the protective strategies that are necessary to take on for survival and coping with trauma and adverse childhood experiences (aces).  My therapy techniques are informed by this awareness and use the wisdom and guidance of the client's protective system to dictate when and how we safely go to the pain for witnessing and healing.  My work is also informed by an understanding of systemic/racialized trauma and the impact of systemic trauma on individual and community systems.  

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Attachment Theory & Neuroscience

My work is strongly influenced by Attachment Theory and Neuroscience, which maintains that our early connections, or lack of connections, with caregivers as we are growing up, impact our brains and how emotionally regulated we are.  The good news is that if we did not grow up with a secure, safe, predictable, relationship, we can change our brains with therapies that are geared toward healing attachment.  My approach differs slightly from traditional attachment theorists in that I do not believe that healing attachment has to come from an external figure (i.e. therapist).  My practice approach maintains that with a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship, attachment can be healed internally.

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Non- Pathological

I take a non-pathological approach to treatment, and while I understand medication and diagnoses may be useful and necessary at times, they are not the focus of my treatment.  I believe in holistic care, and the power of mind-body-spirit healing. I view "symptoms" and "diagnoses" as protective coping mechanisms with positive intent, despite their negative impact.  When we get curious about these protective parts, we can form a relationship with them and discover the underlying vulnerability needing our attention and healing. This is where powerful transformation unfolds.  Because I believe diagnoses can be labeling and limiting, I have chosen to not provide a diagnosis for my clients.  I am now a fee for service only (vs. out of network) practice.  That means that a superbill cannot be submitted for out of network reimbursement.