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services &

specializations

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be a wonderful support to develop greater self-awareness and a clearer path to emotional well-being and happiness in your relationships.  I offer psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families to address relationship difficulties, life transitions, or cope with the effects of anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma.  In addition to using talk therapy I incorporate Somatic Experiencing® and EMDR as a way to support you in the process of change and healing.  

 

I work with people who want to address any number of issues in therapy, including:

  • Transitions and Life Stage Changes

  • Relationship Concerns

  • Attachment and Childhood Experiences

  • Parenting

  • Grief and Loss

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Trauma

  • Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault

Somatic Experiencing ®

Somatic Experiencing®, developed by Dr. Peter Levine, uses an awareness of the nervous system and the way in which the body responds to overwhelming or traumatic events such as sexual assault, medical procedures, accidents, or injuries, to support the healing process.  When an experience overwhelms the nervous system, you might experience anxiety, depression, chronic headaches or pain, or notice being stuck in patterns of fight, flight, or freeze that are similar to difficult experiences in your life.  

 

Somatic Experiencing® is unique in that you do not have to retell or relive traumatic events in order to heal from them.   I can help you slowly and gently notice your body’s responses as they come up in therapy and we can work together to support your body in letting go of stuck responses and building healthier reactions. Through the use of Somatic Experiencing® you can develop tools to use when you feel overwhelmed, and improve your resilience.  Clients often note that they feel calmer, more grounded and present, and able to respond to what is happening here and now, rather than responding from old wounds or challenges.  To learn more about Somatic Experiencing®, please see the Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute website, www.traumahealing.org

EMDR

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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), is a well-researched therapy that helps us process memories and experiences that feel "stuck." In EMDR, we use bilateral stimulation (gentle side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or tones) while bringing a memory to mind, which helps the brain do the natural healing work it wasn't able to do at the time. Before we use EMDR to process any memories, we spend time building resources and calming tools so you feel grounded and your body has a sense of felt safety and connection in the present moment.

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Clients often find that memories, feelings and core beliefs that once felt overwhelming lose their emotional charge. They can remember what happened without being pulled back into it, and beliefs like "I'm not safe" or "It was my fault" begin to shift toward "I'm safe now" and "I did the best I could."

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I often combine EMDR with Somatic Experiencing®, paying close attention to how you experience shifting in both mind and body. EMDR can be helpful for trauma, anxiety, as well as relational challenges and grief. To learn more about EMDR, please visit the EMDR International Association website, www.emdria.org.

Children, Teens & Families

Children, teens, and their caregivers often need support in navigating difficult experiences or life changes.  In addition to using Somatic Experiencing, I offer play therapy for children and talk therapy for teens to support them as they work through emotional difficulties, or adjust to changes in their lives.  While I am dedicated to building a safe, secure, and positive relationship with the children and teens that I see in therapy, the most important relationships in their lives are the ones with their caregivers.  With that in mind, I work closely with parents and caregivers and involve them in treatment often.  My goal is for your child or teen to feel understood and attuned to by you, and for you to feel empowered with tools to help your son or daughter to communicate, to cope with difficulties, and to be resilient in the face of any challenges he or she faces. 

Parent Coaching

When your child is struggling with big behaviors at school, meltdowns at home, and reactions that leave you feeling overwhelmed and out of your depth, it can feel impossible to parent from the place of warmth and connection you imagined. In addition to offering individual and family therapy for children and teens, I provide in-person and online coaching to parents and caregivers. I have seen and felt firsthand the powerful healing that comes from connection and co-regulation. Strengthening the co-regulation between caregivers and their children supports children and teens in developing strong and resilient nervous systems. 

 

Parenting a child or teen with a vulnerable nervous system is especially challenging and isolating. Together, we get curious about what lies underneath your child's big behaviors, because all behavior makes sense and serves as a guidepost for what a child needs. From there, I work alongside you to find strategies that help both you and your child feel safe and understood, and better able to ride waves of emotion as they come. When parents are supported in this way they share feeling more at ease and more connected to their children. 

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