INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
ADULTS
I provide individual therapy for adults in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. Individual therapy sessions will typically focus on processing past or current stressors, understanding relational patterns, learning new strategies to improve functioning, and identifying meaningful activities to improve general life satisfaction. Most of my adult clients begin therapy because they have been feeling stressed, alone, helpless, hurt, or simply “stuck.” By the end of therapy, they often report feeling confident, empowered, better able to meet their needs, more in touch with their own values, and increasingly engaged in meaningful activities consistent with their life goals.
CHILDREN
I work with children ages 8 and up in my private practice. These sessions may involve the use of play, art, music, and other fun, experiential activities, as they mimic the natural ways in which children learn and feel most at ease. My individual work with child clients involves facilitating awareness and expression of their thoughts and feelings, reflecting and validating their experiences, teaching positive coping strategies, and building a sense of competence and self-esteem. Given the developmental needs of child clients, parent and family sessions are essential to ensure therapeutic success. Parents can expect to meet with me one-on-one and participate in play activities with their children in sessions.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
I have placed these two together because, as I often say, depression and anxiety are like close relatives who get along really well. Someone who is depressed will likely experience feelings of sadness, irritability, hopelessness, despair, guilt, worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, as well as changes in sleep, appetite, energy, or sex drive. With anxiety, the symptoms can include constant worry, hyperawareness, restlessness, trouble concentrating, and physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, stomach problems, etc.
GENDER DYSPHORIA
I have worked with many gender questioning, transgender, and gender-nonconforming clients throughout my career, and have assisted them in exploring their gender identities and gender expression. When working on gender identity, sessions may focus on examining constructions of gender, discussing possibilities related to transitioning (socially, legally, medically), addressing any family or relational issues that may be present, and helping clients cope with the stress of stigma, cisgenderism and transphobia.
ADOLESCENTS
My work with adolescents involves building a trusting and comfortable environment in which they are free to openly discuss their lives and problems as they understand them. I encourage my teen clients to speak as freely as possible, without much attention to the many social norms and rules they are subjected to on a daily basis. In order for therapy to be effective with adolescents, it is essential to maintain as confidential an environment as possible, with the exception of situations in which I must break confidentiality to help ensure the client’s safety or the safety of another person. Through this teen-centered approach, my adolescent clients are able to explore their genuine thoughts and feelings, openly process stressors, and begin practicing new ways to cope. Individual parent or family therapy sessions may also be needed for maximum therapeutic benefit. The parents of my adolescent clients often report improved relationships with their teens as a result of therapy.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY
“Borderline Personality Disorder” is defined by the DSM-5 as a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotion, as well as marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts. Simply put, individuals with this “disorder” tend to feel and experience things very intensely, differently from others, and this tends to put them at odds with others. Chronic feelings of isolation, emptiness, or boredom are common, as are unhealthy coping behaviors such as self-harm, drug use, overeating, and so on, in an effort to seek escape from painful realities. I consider the "borderline" presentation to be a form of Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or C-PTSD, rather than a personality-based disorder or character deficit. "Borderline" is a notoriously treatment-resistant presentation, but I have greatly enjoyed working with many clients with borderline personalities over the past nine years, and have had significant success helping clients understand their emotions and behaviors, improve their impulse-control and self-soothing skills, and learn healthy, adaptive ways to meet their needs. In order to help my clients achieve these therapeutic gains, I use a combination of Feminist Therapy and two research-based treatment approaches: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Schema Therapy. If this paragraph resonated with you, or if you have tried other therapies with little to no success, I would love to meet with you and help you get started on the road to growth and fulfillment.