"Connect your mind with your heart"
My treatment philosophy...
We were born trusting our bodies. When we were hungry or hurting or needed
attention, we knew it instinctually and we cried or suckled or reached for
our caregivers. We were born "good" with bodies and emotions that guided us.
And we remain "good at heart" with bodies and emotions that continue to
guide us if we trust ourselves and are paying attention. Unfortunately for many of us, this inherent wisdom
gets lost during our growing-up years. We are influenced away from our true-selves by well-meaning parents/care-givers, teachers,
peer pressure, cultural trends,and society in general. This disconnect from our true-self can be even more apparent if one was abused as a child or
experienced a traumatic event. We are told not to be angry, or sad, or scared and we
learn that our emotions are not okay. We are told not to cry or laugh or eat particular foods and we learn not to trust our impulses.
We are told to be seen and not heard, and we learn that our opinions are not valid. Ultimately, we learn how NOT to trust
ourselves; not to trust what our bodies and our emotions are telling us.
I am a Cognitive-Behavior (CBT) therapist with a special interest and expertise in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I am also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). I also draw from a mindfulness-based therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I help people meet their goals by examining the connection between how they think, feel (emotionally and physically), behave, and interact with their surroundings; and by teaching mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. I work with adults in individual and couples therapy. I also conduct skills training groups - a passion of mine.
Therapy will always begin with a thorough assessment, including your reasons for seeking counseling and relevant history. This may take a few sessions. During this process, we will begin to develop our therapy relationship and discuss treatment options. We will work together to define your problems, establish your goals, and develop a treatment plan especially for you. We will utilize extensively researched and proven therapies to treat your unique situation. In my experience, mindfulness skills, meditation practice, and experiential techniques facilitate therapy (and life!), and are key to self-acceptance (try not to judge this statement), the most vital step on the path to lasting change.
Check out DBT-A or Mindful Living for specific information about each group.
Perhaps you have experienced a traumatic incident. You may have symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, and depression. You have read about EMDR and think it might help. The mechanics of EMDR sound funny, even bizarre, but you know that EMDR is a well-researched and effective therapy for trauma. One of the first things we do in EMDR therapy is to assess your ability to manage strong emotion. We work on skills (here I draw from DBT skills) as needed. We'll identify the trauma or traumas in your life--they may be recent or from your childhood--and go through a step-by-step process to help relieve the intensity of the emotion surrounding your trauma with the help of bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping or sound). When your emotions start to calm, your thoughts become more positive, and your body more relaxed. Symptoms of trauma, and your quality of life, improve. The past becomes less menacing; the future looks more promising.
MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION
"We are told not to cry or laugh ... and we learn not to trust our impulses."
Life goes on and as we grow we develop beliefs about ourselves and others: "I'm not ok...There's something wrong with me...Others can't be trusted." Our experiences tend to reinforce our beliefs. Soon these beliefs become stories that spin around and around in our heads - like tapes (or CDs or songs on the IPOD!) that replay over and over and over again. They become facts to us; absolute truths. And guess what? We behave based on our belief system about ourselves, others, and the world around us! As discussed above, we have lost our ability to trust our bodies and emotions. And without awareness of the wisdom we were born with (our bodies and emotions) we are operating from only one source of wisdom: our minds. And our minds don't always give us the whole picture. Real freedom comes when your knowing comes from your thinking AND your emotions. Your body helps to make this link. Learn how to live mindfully, making choices that take into account your body AND your mind AND your emotions. I present you, my client, with the opportunity to reconnect with all of your wisdom...to remember, actually, the wisdom you were born with.I am a Cognitive-Behavior (CBT) therapist with a special interest and expertise in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I am also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). I also draw from a mindfulness-based therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I help people meet their goals by examining the connection between how they think, feel (emotionally and physically), behave, and interact with their surroundings; and by teaching mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. I work with adults in individual and couples therapy. I also conduct skills training groups - a passion of mine.
Therapy will always begin with a thorough assessment, including your reasons for seeking counseling and relevant history. This may take a few sessions. During this process, we will begin to develop our therapy relationship and discuss treatment options. We will work together to define your problems, establish your goals, and develop a treatment plan especially for you. We will utilize extensively researched and proven therapies to treat your unique situation. In my experience, mindfulness skills, meditation practice, and experiential techniques facilitate therapy (and life!), and are key to self-acceptance (try not to judge this statement), the most vital step on the path to lasting change.
Types of Therapy
GROUP SKILLS TRAINING
If I were going to recommend one single piece of therapy for people, it would almost always be this: choose to participate in one of the skills training groups I offer. Why?- You learn a lot, not the least of which is that you are not alone and that everybody struggles.
- You are surrounded by people who are as committed to learning new ways of being in life as you are.
- It's a lot of bang for the buck!
- It's eye-opening: "Why don't they teach us this stuff in school????"
is the most common remark I hear from clients about these skills.
Check out DBT-A or Mindful Living for specific information about each group.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (CBT)
Change the way you feel by changing the way you think and behave.- An example of what therapy using CBT, DBT, and mindfulness might look like;
- FAQ about CBT
- 15 Common Cognitive Distortions
DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT)
DBT was originally developed as a comprehensive treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and I am trained and experienced in delivering this therapy. A key component of DBT is the learning of skills needed to increase mindful attention, tolerate distress, regulate emotion, and interact effectively with others. These skills are vital for all of us and, not surprisingly, DBT has been found to be helpful in treating a number of problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance abuse. I utilize DBT skills and concepts with most of my clients.EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)
EMDR is approved by the American Psychiatric Association for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Perhaps you have experienced a traumatic incident. You may have symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, and depression. You have read about EMDR and think it might help. The mechanics of EMDR sound funny, even bizarre, but you know that EMDR is a well-researched and effective therapy for trauma. One of the first things we do in EMDR therapy is to assess your ability to manage strong emotion. We work on skills (here I draw from DBT skills) as needed. We'll identify the trauma or traumas in your life--they may be recent or from your childhood--and go through a step-by-step process to help relieve the intensity of the emotion surrounding your trauma with the help of bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping or sound). When your emotions start to calm, your thoughts become more positive, and your body more relaxed. Symptoms of trauma, and your quality of life, improve. The past becomes less menacing; the future looks more promising.
EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED COUPLES/FAMILY THERAPY (EFT)
You and your romantic partner are in distress. Perhaps you've been in therapy before, and although it's been helpful, the same old problems keep coming up. You've decided to give EFT a try. You know it's an experiential therapy, and not just talk. One of our initial goals will be to identify the negative "cycle" that you and your partner are stuck in, the cycle that seems to rear its ugly head in all kinds of circumstances. Here's an example: One partner accuses the other of not helping around the house. What are each partner's perceptions of what's happening? (This is unfair! ) What are the emotions that are on the surface (anger), and then, what are the emotions that are underneath (hurt). Who is "the pursuer" in the relationship and who is the "withdrawer"? How might you be responding to your current partner in similar ways that you've always responded in romantic relationships? (criticizing, defending, ignoring) You'll both start to see how past relationships with your parents/caregivers impact your current relationship. But we go further in EFT. I will help you create a close, caring bond where you can find comfort in each other's arms. We'll work together to heal the emotional wounds that cause the distance in your relationship.MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION
- The concepts of Mindfulness will give you the skills you need to learn how to trust your SELF again.
- The practice of Meditation will help you bring these concepts alive and into your everyday life.
- Mindfulness and Meditation Resources.