approach

One of the things I find myself stressing over and over again with clients is the vital importance of us humans bringing our outer world into some form of congruency and alignment with our inner world. This site—the funky colors, design flaws, and exuberant messiness—is a way of modeling comfort being witnessed as my authentic, imperfect self. BTW, I really did (and often still do) misspell 'therapeutic.'

It makes sense if this all sounds a bit strange, maybe even scary. Many of us were taught, forced, or coerced into trading self-acceptance for conditional validation. Sacrificing who we actually are in pursuit of who we think we should be can lead to alienation from ourselves, emotional distance from others, and a variety of other behaviors in conflict with our deeper needs, goals, and values.

In some cases, parts of us may split off and become hidden beneath our awareness. Excavating and reintegrating these lost or buried aspects of ourselves can be a critical step towards overall well-being, and is crucial for our higher functions.

I practice from a Gestalt framework, meaning I tend to be most interested in your experience of the present moment, in the dynamics unfolding between us, and in how you do things more than why you do them.

I believe that forming deep connections with other people while remaining true to ourselves is the most essential piece of the healing process. I will model this throughout our time together by bringing my own feelings and reactions into each session, talking with you frankly and openly, and looking for ways to draw out your fullness and complexity.

I also honor the deep vulnerability of opening yourself in this way. Ultimately, my most important job as a counselor is to create a safe container for care and challenge to build upon each other at a pace that feels approachable to you. Trust and consent are essential to this work and although I will absolutely nudge, prod, and push at your comfort zone, I will never force anything you don't feel ready for.

If all this is up your alley, take a look at my rates and clinical specialties, or email me to schedule an initial consultation: [email protected]