It has been said that most of us live lives of quiet desperation. Sharing your story is powerful medicine. Often people are able to let go of painful experiences, stop engaging in behavior they find destructive, develop new, healthier approaches to life's difficulties, and experience more rewarding relationships.  I see clients for short-term, solution focused work aimed to resolve a specific problem, and I see clients for longer-term, more exploratory and growth-oriented work. 

Each therapist develops a unique style, and it's critical that you find one that you feel matches you well. Most describe my approach as warm, practical, humorous, and direct. Research consistently shows that the best predictor of success in therapy is the strength of connection between the therapist and client, and I am committed to making sure you find someone you like working with.

More about who I am. Please keep reading below to see how I work with a variety of difficulties that people often face.

Relating to Our Minds

When our thoughts turn against us, it's almost impossible to avoid constricting our life in the hopes of placating them. Therapy offers a powerful set of tools and new ways of approaching our thoughts that can offer a lot of relief. I utilize and offer a series of techniques born out of cognitive therapy and mindfulness practice that can help you relate to your thoughts differently, allowing you to live a more flexible, valuable life. I also understand that our minds go to strange, fearful, and sometimes very dark places and I offer a welcoming and compassionate ear to even the most difficult thoughts. 

Relating to Others

Therapy is a unique place to figure out why we do what we do and, more importantly, how to do things differently. If you're often left feeling empty, frustrated, or anxious in your relationships, therapy can provide new pathways. I approach our therapy as a way of examining what patterns you experience in relationships, both by seeking to understand your relationships and exploring how our connection develops. I draw from research on human attachment, contemporary relational dynamic therapies, and a humanistic perspective.

I also understand that the world has a lot of rules of how we "should" be -- how a man "should" be, a woman "should" be, what sexuality is supposed to look like, and how our race/ethnicity impacts how we're treated. Often, people accumulate a lot of baggage around these areas because messages about "shoulds" are so pervasive. In therapy, I'm curious about what messages you've received, how they hold you back, and how you can let them go.

For those specifically interested in improving their relationships, group therapy may be a particularly good supplement or alternative to individual therapy.

More information on group therapy. 

Relating to Life

How to live a fulfilling, engaged, and authentic life is a question that really only you can answer. However, therapy is a place in which the question can be explored in a unique way, often leading people to find answers they didn't know they had. I draw heavily from mindfulness and existential psychology to help people explore what provides their life with meaning and purpose, and work in therapy to help you develop a rich rewarding life.

Within these three broad domains, people often experience psychological distress that falls under an existing diagnosis. I approach therapy understanding the folks I work with are so much more than just a label, and I understand that diagnoses can be important to help understand how therapy can be useful and focused.

I see people struggling with:

  • Depression
  • Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Smoking Cessation
  • Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Chronic Worry
  • Social Phobia and Phobias
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Recovery from Trauma
  • Pornography, Gaming, and Internet Addiction
  • Queer, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Issues and Issues Related to Coming Out
  • Trans and Gender Identity Affirmation
  • Unlearning internalized Sexism/Racism/Homophobia 
  • Men's Issues
  • Managing ADHD
  • Click here for information about setting up an appointment and fees.