My Approach

I integrate different approaches to assist you in the growth and changes you seek.

Modalities of focus include:

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. The IFS model believes that people are made up of many inner parts. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS all parts are welcome. Many of our parts function in helpful, meaningful, and preferred ways and we also have wounded and protective parts that can take on extreme roles. IFS focuses on healing wounded parts and restoring balance and harmony by changing the dynamics that create discord among certain parts and the Self.

Narrative Therapy is a non-pathologizing approach that is based on the notion that we make meaning of our lives through the stories we tell. These stories are constructed within the larger narratives that make up our social, political, and interpersonal contexts and they shape our reality. People often come to therapy when they experience themselves as living in stories that are dominating and restricting the possibilities in their own lives. Our work together involves co-authoring and facilitating experiences of new stories that are more empowering, aligned with your values, and create more possibilities for your relationships and life.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy is based on 50 years of research into human bonding and 30 years of research into helping couples connect and thrive. EFT offers a map to the territory of love and can empower couples by showing them new systematic ways to take control of dances of disconnection and conflict and help each other move into the open close embrace that is a secure loving bond. EFT also helps families who are in distress and individuals who want to understand how they connect with others and how best to deal with their needs for support from others.

Somatic Experiencing is an approach that incorporates a person’s mind, body, spirit, and emotions in the healing process. Since many of our past pains and the patterns we play out are held in our bodies, simply talking about them does not always bring about the shift and changes we desire. So in addition to talking together, we will also focus on tuning into your body awareness as a way to gather more information, deepen our work, revise old patterns, and re-wire more preferred ways of being.

Polyvagal Theory & Trigger Work - Whether it’s about work, money, our body, or relationships, we all get triggered and are temporarily at the mercy of our flight/fight/freeze/appease survival response. Additionally, if you've experienced trauma(s) or attachment disruptions your nervous system can be primed to get dysregulated and triggered more easily. Because of this, being activated into the stress response can cause substantial interference in our lives and relationships, which has motivated me to create a Trigger Process where we journey into the depths of an emotional trigger in order to learn from it, heal what it is pointing to, diffuse its charge and realign with your ability to respond instead of react.

Relationship Coaching is based on the synthesis of my training in conflict resolution and family mediation, Non-Violent Communication, Attachment Theory, and the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy (which emphasizes the role of normal developmental stages in relationships from Symbiosis to Synergy instead of focusing on pathology).

LGBTQIAPK and Non-Monogamy Experienced & Friendly - I know how navigating the world as a person who does not neatly fit into the more traditional ways that gender, sexuality, and relationship orientation have been defined can be challenging, and because of this, finding someone who understands and welcomes the nuances of your experience is extremely important. I value working with people who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Non-Binary, Gender fluid, Trans, or anywhere on the spectrum of non-heteronormativity, BDSM, and Kink practicing, as well as people who are exploring or are already in polyamorous or other Non-Monogamous multiple-partner relationships.

Please note: I do not diagnose or take insurance