If you are new to therapy, welcome! Traditionally, people come to therapy to talk about the issues that are causing them distress in their lives. This distress often impacts the way they feel about themselves, and/or the ability to be fully present at work, home, in relationships or social situations. People who come for traditional therapy come for many different reasons such as but not limited to: burnout/stress, a lack of sleeping, increased anxiety, panic, or worry, feeling down and depressed, feelings of fear or guilt, or having intrusive memories or thoughts. They may also be going through a significant life change, like job stress, marital issues, divorce or an affair, the death of a significant person in their life, the illness of a family member or the caretaking of an elderly parent. Sometimes, people can’t put their finger on the issue, but they know that something doesn’t feel right. They may feel “off” emotionally or detached from the present moment, but they don’t have the words to describe it.

Traditional therapy can help you better understand and manage your emotions and stressful life situations. My approach to therapy is accepting, humanistic and validating. I offer empathic listening and a safe place to share what you have been going through. I will encourage you to be compassionate and curious about yourself. Sometimes, having the space to be seen and heard unconditionally can be incredibly healing. This manner of therapy falls under the umbrella of Humanistic or Supportive Therapy. Mindfulness-Based Therapy is also a way in which I approach sessions. Mindfulness is a way of being in the world that invites calmness and acceptance. Under this umbrella, there are powerful tools that can be used to help cope with overwhelming emotions and life situations, such as mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful meditation, and the like. The breath is often one of the first tools that I help people to focus on when they are going through hard things. There are ways to use the breath that can be extremely helpful when feeling panicky or overwhelmed.

My sessions are also insight-oriented, helping you to have new perspectives on yourself and your life situation. I will often challenge you to engage in new ways of thinking. Bringing awareness to negative or distorted thought patterns can offer insight and eventual change to how you think about yourself and approach problems. I enjoy teaching concepts and tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). There are a host of helpful strategies within these therapies that have the potential to significantly improve your life.

I hope that this gives you some helpful information about how I practice traditional therapy. I feel grateful to have a large toolbox of ways to support people through difficult times. If I assess that more specialized therapy would be beneficial, I may introduce EMDR or IFS into our sessions. Please see those pages on this website for more information. I look forward to guiding you on your journey.