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

Finding a therapist can be daunting and confusing, especially when feeling 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 the number one predictor of positive therapy outcome is the therapeutic alliance—the relationship formed between therapist and client where there is a shared bond, 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:

  • I genuinely enjoy supporting a wide variety of people and try to approach each session with curiosity, creativity, and authenticity. I’m open to discussing all kinds of topics that may be relevant to your health or relationships, especially when they feel uncomfortable or scary to bring up. These may include issues around religion, politics, sexuality, gender, social class, and race. I also welcome conversations about our client-therapist relationship, including tensions, differences or impasses.

    While not free of biases or blind spots, I strive to be self-aware and safe to open up to. I’ve learned there’s much to gain from exploring tricky issues with care and honesty, and I aim to facilitate a strong relationship that will allow you to be your full self.

  • My main goal at the beginning of therapy is to understand the person across from me deeply. If what you’re struggling with were easy or simple to manage, you would most likely not need to speak to a therapist. You would be able to apply the advice you’ve received or the strategies you’ve researched.

    As we come to understand you and your problem more clearly, we will begin to see what needs to change. Since many of the things that could change (e.g., larger social dynamics, other people) cannot be addressed in individual psychotherapy, we will need to discern those that are. Then, we’ll be able to set goals—a purpose for therapy— together.

    Both, your expertise on your own life, your readiness for change, and my clinical experience and training will be helpful to this end.

  • 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 believe people are diverse and multifaceted—we have mental, behavioral, relational, spiritual and biological dimensions—and all our parts need tending.

    I have trained to draw and integrate strategies from psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, culturally responsive and spiritually informed modalities. This means I can help you explore aspects of yourself and your history you do not yet understand; name cultural, social and religious factors that color your experience; and develop ways of thinking, acting, and relating (with yourself and others) that lead to greater balance, freedom, and fulfillment.

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.

BEGIN TODAY ⟶