MY APPROACH
How I work
Most mental health conditions drain the energy and vitality that are necessary to fully engage in the world. I work best with motivated clients who are willing to commit to the hard work in and outside of sessions. Whether it's your first time in a therapist's office or you've been therapy for years, you are welcome here.
I treat adolescents and young adults ages 12 - 35. I also offer parent-child sessions when requested by an established teenage or young adult client. I welcome clients of all sexual orientations and genders, and I am trans and non-binary affirming.
Areas of Clinical Expertise:​
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Trauma and PTSD
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Depression
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Anxiety and Panic
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Adjustment Issues
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Family Conflict
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Insomnia
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Special Populations:
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LGBTQ+
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Young people transitioning home from hospitals, residential treatment, and wilderness therapy programs
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Newcomers to therapy
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Artistic and creative clients
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Exclusionary Criteria:
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Serious alcohol or drug addiction with less than 6 months' sobriety.
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Eating disorders that have required hospitalization within the past year.
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Ongoing family therapy. Parent-child sessions are intended to primarily support the teenage or young adult client.
COUNSELING
I play an active role in therapy, meaning I will challenge you to carefully examine patterns in your thoughts and behaviors that are holding you back. Together, we will work toward clearly defined goals to help you get relief from your symptoms as soon as possible.
Therapy doesn't end after your session ends. I often give my clients reading recommendations and specific exercises/techniques to use between sessions. For the tech-savvy, I will recommend apps to help you address insomnia, track and stabilize mood, and learn mindfulness techniques.​ I also provide referrals to mental health professionals and wellness practitioners who can support your healing outside of sessions. These include medication management, support groups and group therapy, yoga, equine therapy, acupuncture, nutrition services, couples therapy, and ongoing family therapy. I only refer clients to providers who I know and trust.
EMDR
EMDR stands for "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing." It is widely regarded as one of the most effective forms of treatment for unresolved trauma and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This form of therapy works by stimulating the right and left hemispheres of the brain through back-and-forth movement while you recall details of your trauma. It is hard work, but many clients experience profound relief by working with the body and brain in tandem. I also use techniques from EMDR to treat other common conditions, including anxiety and panic.
ART THERAPY
In an art therapy session, the client makes art in addition to talking. I won't ask you to simply "paint your feelings." Typically, you will be given a straightforward prompt, use art materials to create something in response to that prompt, and whatever you make becomes the starting point for the conversation and the therapy. I love working with artists and creatives, but most art therapy clients are not artists and no prior art experience is necessary.
Many experiences cannot be adequately described with words, and I often recommend art therapy to clients who have difficulty talking about their experiences. Art is a visual language which helps clients externalize thoughts, memories, and emotions that have been held inside for too long. Like EMDR, this form of therapy bypasses verbal language so you can work on a deeper, more sensory level.