I offer individual and family therapy to children, teens, adults and their families. My philosophy is to partner with clients and tailor the treatment to their needs, competencies and goals. Everyone comes to counseling for different reasons and with different intentions. I honestly believe that people seek counseling when they feel stuck. Sometimes just coming, talking, sharing what feels stuck, what they've tried and what they'd like to change can be an important beginning to therapy. To me, therapists bring their training, their experiences, their skills and their heart to their therapy relationships. Clients bring their struggles, pain, insecurities, hopes and goals. As therapists meet with their clients, their relationships develop with the intention of introducing possibility and change.
As I work mostly with young people, I often find myself collaborating with other "helping" people in the kids' lives. I feel this is an important part of good psychotherapy. With expressed consent, I am able to collaborate with psychiatrists, therapists, school personnel and even family doctors. For many families, this collaborative process can bring great relief as they know that everyone can then be on the same page and work toward mutual goals.
Common problems I see in my practice are:
Although I do meet with teens and adults in individual therapy, I mostly work from a family systems model. Even when I am in an individual session with a client, I think relationally. I often see teens with their families and feel that this modality is often the most effective to create lasting change. Making a relationship with a withdrawn or obstinate teen is often easy for me.
I'm happy to meet with kids individually . However, I feel I have a responsibility to help teens and families better get along and understand one another. This prevents kids from feeling as though it is solely their fault that the family is struggling.
Often the difficult conversations that don't successfully happen at home can happen in the safety of my office. Teaching families how to have these conversations and helping them develop the skills and confidence to do so is often a primary goal of treatment.
As I work mostly with young people, I often find myself collaborating with other "helping" people in the kids' lives. I feel this is an important part of good psychotherapy. With expressed consent, I am able to collaborate with psychiatrists, therapists, school personnel and even family doctors. For many families, this collaborative process can bring great relief as they know that everyone can then be on the same page and work toward mutual goals.
Common problems I see in my practice are:
- relationship conflicts
- behavioral problems
- academic struggles
- academic underachievement or perfectionism
- social anxiety
- moodiness, depression, anxiety
- sibling issues
- adoption issues
- ADD, ADHD, self regulation challenges
- self harm
- psychological impact of medical conditions and diagnoses
- poor social skills
- loss
- divorce, separation, blended families
- low self esteem and poor self confidence
- transitions into young adulthood, college or employment
Although I do meet with teens and adults in individual therapy, I mostly work from a family systems model. Even when I am in an individual session with a client, I think relationally. I often see teens with their families and feel that this modality is often the most effective to create lasting change. Making a relationship with a withdrawn or obstinate teen is often easy for me.
I'm happy to meet with kids individually . However, I feel I have a responsibility to help teens and families better get along and understand one another. This prevents kids from feeling as though it is solely their fault that the family is struggling.
Often the difficult conversations that don't successfully happen at home can happen in the safety of my office. Teaching families how to have these conversations and helping them develop the skills and confidence to do so is often a primary goal of treatment.