Providing psychotherapy for school-age children, adolescents, individuals, couples and families
What follows is a basic description of how I approach working with each population.
*If you are interested in knowing about the formal diagnoses I identify and treat in my practice and the theoretical frames that inform the way I work, scroll to the bottom of the page.
School-age children: Sometimes children will directly communicate their thoughts and feelings with words, and it will be in a such a way that it makes adults smile because they aren't holding anything back. But often, especially if something is going wrong, children will communicate with adults through their behavior. This is where I can help. I can join with you to help understand the messages embedded in your child's behavior. I am able to join with your child through the modality of art therapy to understand what is occuring in their world, in their language.
Adolescents: This is such an important developmental time and it is also one of the most challenging times for parents and their children. Often, there is a disconnection that has happened because of the delicate balance that needs to occur: it is between parents letting go in a way that allows their teenager to explore the world, make some mistakes, develop their identity and parents upholding important limits and boundaries that keep their teenagers safe. Simultaneously, teenagers have to demonstrate a sense of responsibility with their independence so that parents can trust their teenager and feel comfortable with allowing some freedom. I am able to help families reconnect and find a way to balance the important needs that both parents and teenagers have during this time.
Families: Family is the base from which individuals are in contact with the world, it is where individuals learn about how to interact in the relationships in their lives. If there is a breakdown in communication or a disconnection that occurs or something isn't working as well as it did before, someone in the family will send up a flag to let everyone know that something is off. Most of the time, family members believe this person, who is the messenger, is actually the problem. Most of the time, this person is not the problem, they are just the ones expressing that there is a problem. The best part about working together as a family in therapy is that whatever is at the root of what is going on can be discovered because each family member brings their perspective and their experience, resulting in there being a whole lot more information available to understand what is going on. Not only is there more information, there are more possibilities in terms of solutions!
Individuals: Every human being has a fundamental need to be heard and understood. Given my natural curiousity about the internal world of others, my experience and training as well as my ability to connect with people beyond words, I am able to meet this fundamental need that people have. How we work together will depend on what it is you are looking to give yourself out of coming to therapy. Coming to therapy, taking a look at yourself and your life, takes courage. That kind of courage is what makes therapy so rewarding. I've got some of it so if yours flickers, I'll lend you mine.
Couples: I see relationships as the ultimate opportunity for growth. A relationship, because it involves all parts of two human beings interacting, shines a light on parts of the self that we would not be able to access otherwise. While the experience of feeling angry, hurt or afraid is often consuming, it is actually during these times that light is shone on parts of the self that are not easy to see. Being able to be in contact with those parts of the self creates a rich and tremendous opportunity to get closer to realizing the potential you are capable of in this life. Using the challenges in your relationship as opportunites to grow personally and as a couple is the goal. I can work with you to help you both get past those fights that are the same every time (that is the part that is distracting and consuming) and find out what it is you are really wanting to communicate to one another. I can work with you together to find a way for you both to get what you are needing from your relationship.
Theoretical approaches and influences:
- Art Therapy
- Developmental
- Attachment
- Existential/Humanistic
- Family Systems
- Gestalt
- Narrative
- Object Relations
- Psychoeducational
- Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- PTSD
- Adjustment Disorder
- Anxiety Disorders/Phobias
- Conduct Disorder
- Depression
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Personal Growth
- Self Esteem
- Life transitions
- Child Abuse
- Crisis/trauma
- Relationship Issues
- Parenting Issues
- Anger management
- Self harm (cutting, ect)