My Approach
I draw on a number of theoretical perspectives with include humanistic psychology, psychodynamic theory, family systems theory, and transpersonal psychology. I utilize a variety of individually-tailored therapeutic techniques and interventions when working with clients which may include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The underlying concept behind CBT is that our thoughts and feelings play a fundamental role in our behavior. People often experience thoughts or feelings that reinforce or compound faulty beliefs. Such beliefs can result in problematic behaviors that can affect numerous life areas. CBT helps clients identify problematic beliefs and learn how thoughts, feelings and situations can contribute to maladaptive behaviors. CBT then focuses on the actual behaviors that are contributing to the problem and supports people to make choices that lead to healthier behaviors.
Mindfulness
"Mindfulness is a way of paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally." -Jon Kabat Zinn
As humans, we are often not present in the actual moment of our lives. We are easily distracted and functioning on auto-pilot- juggling work, relationships, chores, families, and many other demands. While doing so, our minds are busy with judgments, worries and thoughts about the past or the future. This causes us to miss out on many enjoyable and fulfilling aspects of our lives, and keeps us in a constant state of tension and stress.
A mindfulness practice helps us to slow down, and become more aware of our feelings, thoughts and sensations. We use the gentle rhythm of our breath as an anchor that brings us back to the present moment. Practicing this on a daily basis can help us respond to our lives more calmly. It helps us recognize and step away from habitual, often unconscious emotional and physiological reactions to everyday events. It provides us with a scientifically researched approach to cultivating clarity, insight, and understanding. Practicing mindfulness allows us to be fully present in our life and work, and improves our quality of life.
EMDR: Eye Movement Desenstitive Reprocessing
During traumatic experiences, areas of the brain related to emotions and memories become overstimulated. The rational brain: the prefrontal cortex, becomes overwhelmed and loses control. As a result, traumatic memories get lodged in the parts of the brain that are responsible for our fight, flight or freeze response. Even though the trauma is no longer taking place, a person may experience fear, worry, flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, limiting beliefs, or sensations in the body when reminded or “triggered” by certain experiences in the present.
EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages clients to focus briefly on a traumatic memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which reduces the vividness, physical sensations and emotion associated with the trauma memories. EMDR therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences.
Play Therapy
Play therapy is to children what counseling is to adults. Play therapy utilizes play, children's natural medium of expression, to help them express their feelings more easily through toys and games instead of direct conversation. In play therapy children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills and learn a variety of ways to relate to others, within the safe boundary of the therapeutic relationship, which is created and held by the therapist.
Sandplay Therapy:
Sandplay therapy is useful for both children and adults. Through therapist directives, clients place miniature figurines in a small sandbox to create a symbolic world. This creates a visual representation of the client's internal world and can reveal unconscious concerns or patterns. As materials contained in the unconscious emerges visually and symbolically, both therapist and client know what needs to be integrated into a person's sense of self. The therapist and client explore the symbolic world, finding meaning in what has been created. Sandplay therapy establishes a safe and protected space where clients can work on identifying and reconciling internal conflicts.
Art Therapy
Art therapy can be useful for all ages, and has many benefits in therapy. As defined by the American Art Therapy Association: "Art Therapy is the therapeutic use of art making within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development. Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and process, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences, enhance cognitive abilities and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art."
My office is equipped with a variety of art materials and art making tools. Examples of therapeutic art we might do include art journals, mask making, large life size traced body paintings, affirmation trees, three-dimensional alters to acknowledge something or someone we have lost, mixed media self care and safe space sculptures and positive affirmation collages. Creating art in the context of healing is a powerful and transformative experience. No previous art making experience required!
Child and Family Work
My approach to working with children and adolescents includes talk therapy and many interactive therapies listed above. Parents and caregivers involvement in treatment is essential. When helping children to cope with stressors and/or make positive behavioral changes, attuned caregivers who can help guide and respond to them in effective and encouraging ways is key. It is not always easy to know how to do this, as each child and each situation can require a different approach, and parents are often taxed by the effort of juggling many stressors.
I offer a natural ability to connect and put youth at ease and a supportive non-judgmental environment for parents. I bring knowledge of child development, temperament styles, multiple intelligence theory and parenting strategies to my work with children and families. I am trained in play therapy, sandplay therapy, family systems therapy, attachment theory, cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, and EMDR, and I have worked extensively with children coping with trauma. I have a special interest working with youth who struggle with anxiety, ADHD and learning disabilities.