HOW I WORK
While there are many psychotherapeutic modalities I utilize including Mindfulness, Hakomi, DBT, Gestalt, and Transpersonal Therapy, the main things you'll notice if we work together is that I'm authentic, genuinely caring, curious, and empathetic. I'll be your biggest cheerleader, and I'll remind you of your innate awesomeness. Usually we'll talk, but sometimes I might invite you to do an art project, write, move around, or check in with your body and see how it's feeling. Here is a little more information about the theoretical approaches that resonate with me:
Client-Centered (I'll follow your lead.) I believe you hold the greatest wisdom about yourself. Part of our journey together is helping you learn to trust yourself and to listen to your inner knowing. I will gently acknowledge patterns I notice and express curiosity about how those came to be. We can listen to your inner critic and learn tools to help quiet it. I will compassionately listen to your heartaches and your losses, and over time, look at how you’ve grown from living through life’s challenges. I offer a balance of non-judgment and directness, but most importantly I offer genuine care and respect. Somatics (I pay attention to what your body is saying, and help you become aware, too.) With a background as a massage therapist, I am keenly aware of how our bodies are often telling us things that we may not be consciously aware of. Influenced by various somatic modalities including Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, I will often ask you to go inward and explore what your body is trying to tell you. This can take practice and if you’re not used to listening to your body, it might take some getting used to. However, when the words don’t exist to express our emotions, our bodies are often excellent at speaking for us. For those of us who have experienced trauma, or when our bodies don’t match what we experience on the inside, living in our bodies can feel like a betrayal. We can explore what your body is saying with the gentleness and respect it deserves. Systems-Oriented (It's not all about you.) We do not live in bubbles. You did not become who you are without outside influences. Together we can look at the familial, cultural, environmental, generational, and relational systems you currently and historically have moved within. Sometimes having a better understanding of where our beliefs come from, or why we do the things we do, can help us know how to move forward, make peace, or make changes. Sometimes the dysfunction is in the systems, and bringing our awareness to this fact helps us let go of unhelpful beliefs about ourselves. |