Working with me

Helping people access their inner strength and manifest their fullest potential is my passion. It is my belief that we all possess an inner wisdom that can guide us to what is true and right for ourselves. In order to achieve this, I will work with you to create a safe and supportive environment where you feel comfortable exploring your thoughts feelings, and experiences freely and without judgment. I do this by utilizing a strength-based approach while looking through the lens of depth psychology. I will support you as you work to discover your authentic self by addressing the underlying issues that create impairment and dysfunction in your life. It is through this work that you will be able to understand yourself and others better, which can allow you to experience a more FULFILLING and MEANINGFUL LIFE.

In my work, I have helped my clients overcome challenges with grief resulting from the loss of a loved one, chronic illness diagnosis, and major life changes. I also specialize in working with individuals who have experienced or witnessed an event that felt out of their control such as a car accident or assault. 

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What will our first session be like

Just like any relationship, building a trusting connection with a therapist takes time.  Our first few sessions together will be focused on getting to know one another and establishing a strong therapeutic relationship.  During our first session, we will complete some paperwork and I will collect information regarding your history and your reasons for coming to see me.  You will also have the opportunity to voice any questions or concerns you might have about therapy or the way I work.  Lastly, we will collaborate to establish some goals for our time together.  

It is not uncommon for people to feel anxious, upset, or uncomfortable when they come in for their first appointment.  These feelings are normal especially if this is your first time seeing a therapist.  The amount of time needed to build a strong connection varies from person to person and while you should feel at ease after your first appointment, it sometimes takes 2-3 visits before you are truly comfortable sharing intimate details of your life.  Establishing a strong therapeutic alliance takes the time, energy, and commitment of both of us.  The good news is, an investment in our relationship is WORTH IT as it is what will help you ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN THERAPY!

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The therapy process

The therapy process varies from person to person depending on why you’ve chosen therapy and what your needs are.  I believe every individual is unique so I will customize therapy according to what YOU need. 

All therapy starts with an initial intake session. As mentioned above, this is a discussion that reveals little by little who you are, how your problems are impacting your life and other’s lives, and how you view the world you live in.  During this session, I will explain the legal aspects of therapy including ethical concerns, confidentiality, and informed consent.  I will also share with you my qualifications, trainings, and what you can expect from the way I work.

Following intake, we will discuss what is happening in your life in more detail.  We will talk about how you balance problems and stresses and identify your current resources and strengths.  We will look closely at how you have coped with your problems in the past and discuss what has been helpful and not so helpful. 

The next step in therapy is working on the issues that are causing problems in your life.  Choosing to commit to therapy is one of the most rewarding and challenging things you can do for yourself.  Opening up memories of traumatic events, discussing seemingly hopeless problems in your life, and recalling past mistakes is difficult.  It’s important for you to remember that often things can feel worse before they feel better but in time, the emotional pain surrounding these events will lessen as you learn to relate to them in healthier ways.  I commit to working with you during these tough times reminding you that you are not alone and that there is HOPE for things to get better.  It is this work that will ENABLE CHANGE in your life.

How will you know when it’s time to end therapy?  For some people, a crisis brings them into therapy and when the crisis has resolved, they chose to terminate.  Other times, people choose to continue with treatment because they find the therapeutic relationship enriches their life and brings up new material to be processed.  The decision to end is yours to make and should be discussed in your sessions so we can explore how to end therapy in a positive way.