My approach to therapy is genuine, mindful, and emotionally-focused. I believe that it is often not enough to challenge only negative thoughts. Thoughts are only one piece of the puzzle. We are complex human beings and our emotions are complex too! I strive to guide my clients to have a deeper understanding of who they are and who they want to become. We have all encountered different life paths all with their own particular obstacles and we all have obstacles we are yet to face. I want to empower my clients to build the resiliency necessary to face these challenges with open arms. My role as your therapist is not to “fix” your problems but to help you understand that you are capable of creating the change you desire.
I took my first psychology course as an elective in high school and have been obsessed with human behavior and emotion ever since. During my undergraduate experience, I volunteered with a lab that studied personal relationships hence my interest in couples. I have experienced emotional and mental hardships in my own life that inspired me to help others in similar situations. Furthermore, being involved in my own therapy has helped me to understand the change that we are all capable of. I am not the same person as I was when I began therapy and thankfully so! I have seen the power that a therapeutic relationship can have and I hope to spark that light in others.
I have been trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), emotion focused therapy (EFT) and the Gottman method for couples. During my undergraduate experience, I volunteered at a children’s grief center and I learned a great deal about the grief process through that experience. I also took a course in child centered play therapy (CCPT) which opened my mind about how I could work with children in expressing themselves and building self-esteem. EFT and the Gottman method prepared me to work with couple dynamics that often have perplexing emotions involved. I found that relationships are usually only hard work because we are not equipped with the tools to facilitate useful communication and confront complicated emotions. Especially if we have not had the chance to develop these tools in our relationships with our primary caregivers. Everything is connected! Lastly, I worked with the military population during my graduate school internship. CBT and CPT taught me how to confront and challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts/beliefs and pinpoint where my clients get “stuck” in their healing. I learned how to help my clients combat traumas, depression, and anxiety by utilizing intersectional interventions such as CBT and mindfulness.
I am passionate about what I do. If you are looking for a counselor that will give you a pat on the back and tell you to “just smile!”, I am not your girl! I want to dive deep into what makes you who you are and how the narratives that you hold for yourself impact the emotions that you experience.
For couples, I am not here to tell you who was right about that one thing that happened that one time years ago. I am here to facilitate deep understanding between both partners (or all partners for polyamorous clients) so that we can move forward and create a new story.
If you have never been to therapy before, I understand how daunting that first step can be. I once stood on that edge myself, worried about what it would mean to be a client in therapy. I encourage you to take the jump and dive right into one of the best decisions you can make for yourself.
SERVICE INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES: To get myself through my degree, I bartended for over 5 years. I discovered that across most service industry jobs there are certain patterns that can deteriorate an individual’s sense of self-worth and self-respect. Moreover, I found that I was mentally and emotionally drained after most shifts which weighed heavily on my relationship with myself and others. The hours also made it almost impossible to work on self-care such as having a normal sleep-wake schedule or consuming nutrient dense foods which impact our emotions more than you might think. In our work together, we can create a lifestyle that allows you to put yourself first and make the most of your work so that “service with a smile” can come naturally without any forced grins.
Outside of the therapy world, I am a total nerd. I love spending my free time reading fantasy, thriller, or philosophical books. Most of my free time is spent with my very spoiled frenchie Lilo, who you will probably see at some point during our sessions. Other than that, I do enjoy traveling and trying food from around the world.