Sessions with me are guided by your goals and objectives and always make space for your organic unfolding. Somatic psychotherapy, my primary clinical orientation, differs from traditional talk therapy in that we won't just talk "about" your life. We will also explore your experience of yourself and your life through the anchor of your body. This means we will connect to the impulses, feelings and sensations you are having in the present moment as important sources of guidance and pathways to healing.
My counseling practice weaves together a wide range of therapeutic, somatic, energetic, spiritual & indigenous traditions and coaching modalities studied over a lifetime. Frequently I draw on my clinical background in Attachment Theory, Trauma and Polyvagal Theory, The Hakomi Method, Solutions Focused Therapy, and Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
My approach to counseling and psychotherapy is syncretic (weaving together many different threads), experiential (focused on present moment experience) and goal-oriented (what does success look like to you?). Sessions do not follow a pre-determined script or technique and you always direct the pacing of the work.
We will co-create our journey using the tools that are most appropriate to your particular needs and level of comfort, and my counseling sessions look very different from person to person. No matter what tools we decide to use, the goal will be the same:
to experience more aliveness and increase your ability to be present and creative in all aspects of your life.
WHAT TO EXPECT
During our initial sessions, we will start by establishing your goals for therapy. We will explore your own understanding of yourself and your mental health while paying particular attention to any relevant trauma history. We will take stock of your current experiences and resources, and come to a shared definition of a "success" in therapy. Once that process is complete, we will develop an action plan together. Through this process we set the container and timeline for our ongoing counseling work and establish clear agreements and boundaries.
CREATING SAFETY
After years of working with clients I have come to realize that creating a safe space enables individuals to access their own innate healing abilities. In sessions we create safety together by continually checking in about how you are feeling. It is important that we move at a pace that allows you to process and integrate the work and that also allows you to feel empowered and that you are making progress.
In my experience, session work that doesn’t allow for integration can further perpetuate disorganization in the nervous system. Together, we have to respect where you are at, and what your nervous systems currently needs. You are in charge, in every moment and I am here to serve you.
ASKING FOR HELP.
One thing I have noticed in myself and others who are on a healing journey is that sometimes the most difficult part of the process is simply recognizing that we need help and asking for it. Asking for help requires us to soften and open to ourselves and others, to become available to an unimagined outcome. For many of us it is not easy to admit that we are struggling or to imagine that life could get better. If you resonate with this I invite you to take a simple and courageous step of reaching out.
Let's see if I can offer the help you need and want...
