MY SPECIALTIES & AREAS OF FOCUS
ANXIETY & STRESS
Anxiety takes many forms, some of which we don't even recognize as such. Your anxiety may be impacting your ability to socialize and perform or you may be experiencing full blown panic attacks, either of which can feel totally debilitating. As awful as it can feel, anxiety is not a bad thing, but rather a message from your body that your needs aren't being met in some way. I will show you how to find and understand those messages and teach you practical coping skills for better managing the day to day disruptions of stress and anxiety.
TRAUMA - PTSD & CPTSD
When we experience trauma it is pervasive; it seeps its way into our daily behaviors, our bodies, our very sense of self. The most universally experienced symptoms of trauma are shame and the belief that "my trauma wasn't that bad." Healing from shame and trauma is difficult, but beyond worth it. I use IFS, EMDR, body work, and the therapeutic relationship to heal from the impacts of single incident or chronic trauma. I have experience and training working with individuals who have experienced child abuse, sexual abuse, neglect & emotional abuse as well as single-incident traumas.
GRIEF & DIFFICULT TIMES
If your life feels like it's just falling the fuck apart, let's talk. Sometimes life gets so overwhelming, painful, and confusing that happiness, or even contentment, feels impossible to attain. Grief doesn't only occur after we've lost a loved one; humans endure grief when opportunities are lost, when our identity crumbles, or when our life doesn't turn out as we planned it. Whether you are dealing with the excruciating pain of having lost a loved one, or if you feel like you have hit an emotional rock bottom that you can't climb up from alone, you can find peace, joy, & purpose.
ATTACHMENT & BOUNDARIES
What exactly is a boundary anyway? Why does my attachment style change? What does my attachment style say about my childhood? How does my attachment style impact my romantic and platonic relationships? How do I become more secure in my relationships? You may notice that you overly attach yourself to others, or perhaps you can't let people in no matter how much you want to (and maybe you do both!). Pulling from Attachment Theory and IFS, we will use the actual relationship formed between you and me to work through attachment wounds to create a more stable sense of self and healthy relationship with others.
TEENS
For over a decade I have worked with teens who have struggled with everything from low self-esteem and social dilemmas to severe substance use and behavioral issues. I work to build a strong & authentic relationship before supporting teens in identity formation, decision making & risk management and forming healthy relationships. I offer different levels of parental involvement on a case dependent basis.
YOUNG ADULT & IDENTITY FORMATION
Maybe you have been out in the world by yourself for a little while now, or perhaps you are about to leave home for the first time, either way this whole "being an adult" thing is scary, hard, and confusing. I will work with you to develop skills and gain confidence in self-care, navigate changing family relationships, and discover your emerging authentic self. Leaving home is like breaking out of the chrysalis, it's a super juicy time in your life for self-discovery and therapy can help.