INDIVIDUAL:
I am a relational therapist. This means that I believe that we are all wired for connection and it is through safe relationships that emotional healing can occur. By cultivating authentic connection, in a safe and confidential space we are able to explore the unattended or bottled-up parts of you that may be laced with shame, confusion and self-judgment.
My method of therapy is one of guided self-discovery and understanding through experimental and mindfulness-based approaches. This method allows for the unique possibility of mind-body integration that leads to lasting healing and continual growth. My work is heavily influenced by interpersonal neurobiology, somatic psychotherapy, mindfulness, and attachment theory.
ADOLESCENT:
Navigating the unique challenges of being a young adult can be overwhelming and isolating. Middle school and high school are tough enough as teens navigate common concerns such as low-self esteem, self-doubt, difficulty managing stress, relationships and handling conflict. In addition depression, anxiety, grief and loss can make a teen's life even harder to manage.
Working with teens I help them discover their passions and strengths, encourage mindfulness and self-reflection, begin implementing acts of self-kindness to give them the resources necessary to navigate obstacles. I help empower teens to visualize their future and make changes that will help them plan a vibrant and fulfilling future.
YOGA THERAPY:
I have experience and familiarity with the unique challenges that members of the LGBTQ+ community often face. Despite the growing appearance of cultural acceptance of diverse sexual, romantic and gender identifications systemic discrimination and oppression persist and LGBTQ+ individuals are still at a much higher risk of suicidal ideation and self-harm.
Whether you are seeking therapy for issues associated with your sexual, romantic, or gender identity or for concerns related to your mental health and wellbeing, I offer a therapeutic environment that is not dictated by heteronomativity.
LGBTQ+:
Research increasingly suggests that yoga is not only physically beneficial but it also helps to rebuild healthy neuropathways in our brain that have been affected by trauma.
I offer a 1 on 1 yoga practice where we can begin exploring how belief systems and traumas are held in the body, below the level of conscious awareness, through dialog and supported postures.
AREAS OF TREATMENT:
- LGBTQ+ and gender exploration
- Trauma
- Vicarious trauma
- Childhood abuse and neglect
- Sexual abuse / harassment
- Loneliness
- Grief and loss
- Spiritual exploration
- Depression
- Anxiety/ worry/ stress
- Self-worth/ insecurity
- Body imagine issues
- Relationship issues
- Divorce
- Life transitions
- Health issues
- Burn-out
THEORETICAL ORIENTATION:
Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy
Mindfulness-based interventions are therapeutic approaches grounded in focusing attention on the present moment with a non-judgmental attitude. Increasing our capacity for mindfulness helps us to become better able to separate ourselves from negative thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations before they become too overwhelming, helping to further psychological insight and emotional healing, over time.
Somatic Psychotherapy
Somatic psychotherapy adds a significant dimension to verbal psychotherapy by including bodily experience as correlative, causative and caused by psychological experience. It is grounded in the belief that not only are thought, emotion and bodily experience inextricably linked, but also that change can be brought about in one domain of experience by mindfully accessing another.
Interpersonal Neurobiology
Interpersonal neurobiology holds that we are ultimately who we are because of our relationships. Further, because the mind is defined as a relational process that regulates energy flow, our brains are constantly rewiring themselves. All relationships change the brain, particularly the most intimate ones. An attuned, empathetic, and positive therapeutic relationship can therefore yield healing for those who have suffered from trauma.
My practice is also informed by the following methods:
Hakomi Psychotherapy, Gestalt Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Psychotherapy, Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy, Transpersonal Psychotherapy, Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy, Attachment-informed Psychotherapy.