ABOUT PSYCHOTHERAPY
“Into the woods,
Where nothing’s clear,
Where witches, ghosts
And wolves appear.
Into the woods
And through the fear,
You have to take the journey…
Into the woods—you have to grope,
But that’s the way you learn to cope.
Into the woods to find there’s hope
Of getting through the journey.”
Stepehn Sondheim
Looking for mental health support can feel daunting and confusing, especially when distressed. How do you choose the right companion to walk into the woods with?
The best way, I believe, is by speaking to a couple of therapists and noticing with whom you feel like you might work well.
Psychotherapy research consistently shows that a top predictor of positive therapy outcome is the therapeutic alliance—the relationship between therapist and client where there is a shared connection, agreement on the purpose of therapy, and agreement on the methods to use.
With these elements in mind, here’s what I can tell you about the way I work:
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I genuinely enjoy supporting a wide variety of people and try to approach each session with curiosity, authenticity and warmth. I aim to cultivate a space where it is possible to talk about anything, no matter how scary or uncomfortable. While I’m not free of biases, preferences or blind spots, I try to be safe to open up to and I’m willing to work through any tensions or impasses that may arise during the course of therapy.
Some of the clients I’ve worked with in English and Spanish include:
International & exchange students
Expats & digital nomads
Humanitarian workers
Trailing spouses
First- and second-generation immigrants
Adult third culture kids (ATCKs)
Religious (or formerly religious) and spiritual individuals
Persons in multicultural or interfaith relationships seeking individual therapy
Whatever your background, if we decide to work together I will do my best to facilitate a strong relationship that welcomes your full self.
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While the purpose for therapy is something we create together, my primary goal at the beginning of treatment is to understand the person across from me deeply.
I believe that, as we understand you and your problem more clearly, we will begin to see what could change. Then we’ll be able to set goals and decide how to proceed together. Both your expertise on your own life and my clinical experience/theoretical understanding will be useful to this end.
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The methods that I use are taken from different treatment orientations to suit you and our goals. This approach can be described as integrative. I understand people are complex and multifaceted—we have cognitive, behavioral, relational, spiritual and biological dimensions—and all our parts need tending.
With this in mind, in my work I draw and integrate strategies from:
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Culturally and spiritually competent psychotherapy
This means I might help you to:
Become more aware of patterns in thinking, acting and relating that cause you pain.
Explore aspects of your past and background (which may include early or traumatic experiences, culture, religious/spiritual beliefs and practices, gender roles, sexual identity, socioeconomic context) that impact you in the present in ways you may not understand.
Develop ways of thinking, acting and relating (to yourself and others) that lead to greater wholeness, freedom and fulfillment.
If needed, I may also recommend consulting with a psychiatrist, nutritionist or related health provider.
To learn more about my training, please visit the about me page.
If what you’ve read so far resonates, I encourage you to get in touch with me and find out for yourself if we might work well together. It would be a privilege to journey with you and help you find your way.
Schedule a free 20-min. consultation.