My Approach
My style is friendly, informal and non-judgmental and my relationship with my clients is collaborative. We work together to find solutions. We focus on the strengths the client brings with them to therapy and on the circumstances and occasions in which the client's presenting problem is either manageable or absent.
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I take a holistic approach to my work. That means that I attend to the psychological, physiological, and spiritual needs of my clients, for all three are intricately related. If one is unhealthy, the other two will be compromised in their efforts to keep us psychologically and/or physiologically well and thus we become increasingly susceptible to psychological ailments (e.g. anxiety, depression, and burnout) and/or physical ailments (e.g. heart disease, asthma, and gastrointestinal problems).
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My work is informed by two models of psychotherapy: Narrative Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. When working with couples, I use Emotionally-Focused Therapy. All are evidence-based models.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative Therapy is first and foremost a respectful, non-blaming model which presupposes that clients, not their therapists, are the experts in their own lives. Narrative Therapy views problems as being entirely separate from people. Narrative Therapists assume that their clients possess beliefs, skills, values, competencies, and strengths that they can employ to reduce the impact that problems have on their lives.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a short-term, goal-oriented treatment. It is a practical approach to solving problems. Its primary goal is to change patterns of thinking and/or behavior that are at the root of people's difficulties, and thereby change the way they feel, for it is often the way we think about an issue or event in our lives that causes us to exhibit problematic behaviors and symptoms. Healing, therefore, is a product of learning to change how we think about the problem.
Emotion-Focused Therapy
Emotionally-Focused Therapy is grounded in a scientifically-validated theory of adult bonding. It's goal is to help couples understand their own individual emotions and how their patterns of reacting to one another (patterns of emotional reactivity) are impacting their relationships.
Remote Therapy
In addition to treating clients in my office, I also provide counseling over the phone or via Skype. Teletherapy is no substitute for face-to-face counseling and is not suitable for clients who are in crisis, suicidal, or struggling with a serious mental illness. Nevertheless, it is still an effective mode of psychotherapy and a viable one for clients who are unable to visit my office due to illness, injury, a lack of transportation or work commitments.
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I also use teletherapy for psychoeducation and consultation purposes. For example, if a parent is concerned about their teenager's gender expression "problem" or sexual orientation "problem" but is not seeking traditional weekly psychotherapy sessions, they can contact me for education about the "problem" and for information and resources in the community that will help them and their child.
If you would like me to provide you with therapy in the safety and comfort of your own home, please contact me directly.
Pet Therapy
Although I do not conduct pet therapy at my current location, I am a great advocate for it. As an animal lover, I can attest to the tremendous impact our pets have on our lives. For many, they are the sole sources of comfort, support, joy, love, and companionship in our lives.
Stroking a pet has been clearly demonstrated to reduce stress by decreasing the amount of the cortisol (stress-hormone) and increasing the amount of dopamine (pleasure-chemical) circulating in our bodies. It also increases our levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that bolsters the immune system. Thus, people who enjoy relationships with animals, be they temporary or long-term, tend to feel better emotionally and are happier and more positive.
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The loss of a pet can be devastating. If you are struggling with such a loss, please reach out to me for help.