Personal Counseling

My approach is a mixture of cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapy mixed with holistic, mindful, client-centered techniques. I allow clients to tell their stories and seek to understand their unique perspective. We each have different lenses through which we view life. As we grow and gain new experiences, our lense can get foggy, making it hard to see others and ourselves clearly. I present different perspectives and compassionately challenge previous ways of thinking. Even a few small shifts in how you view a situation, person or challenge may lead you onto a different life path.

Imagine that you are having trouble in relationships and struggling with addictions. We might examine the influence of your early caregivers or important childhood experiences like bullying. How did these impact your beliefs about yourself? Your self-esteem? Your confidence to accomplish certain goals in life? Did you grow up knowing the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics? Research shows that the effects of emotional trauma (unfair blame, feeling invalidated or ignored, excessive yelling, being controlled or manipulated, made to doubt your own judgement) are just as damaging as the psychological effects of physical abuse.

We may also look at how negative beliefs about yourself lead to choosing partners who share common traits with a parent or early caregiver. We can examine when addictions began, how they help soothe deeper issues, and what treatment approaches seem best. We would likely also explore how to start setting boundaries. Who is it appropriate to give your time and energy to and who may be overly dependent or draining your motivation? What does an emotionally safe and healthy relationship look like? How do you know which needs are ok to compromise and which ones are non-negotiable?

 We are living through extraordinarily difficult times. Politics, religion and personal values have divided us. Family members, friendships, relationships and even our jobs are being tested. We are examining our lives, patterns, and decisions in brand new ways, with more awareness. Please contact me to discuss your specific needs.  It would be my pleasure to help you navigate some of these important issues on your personal journey.