specialties & expertise
helping you carve your path
Our specialties
Life Transitions
No matter what stage of life a person is in, change is hard, and it is important to get the support needed during the discomfort and uncertainty of these difficult times. Common therapeutic topics include: getting sober, starting college, moving, marriage, divorce or change in relationship status, career changes or adding a new member to the family.
depression
Feeling hopeless, unmotivated, easily tearful and down more often than not is something that most people experience at least once in their lifetime. However, when a person doesn’t feel or act like themselves, depression can take over and affect all aspects of our lives. Therapy can help address both internal (thoughts, behaviors, emotions) and external factors (life stressors, past trauma, relationships) that contribute to symptoms of depression, while providing the tools and empowerment to take back control over their life.
substance abuse / dependence
Various assessment tools are used to determine an accurate diagnosis and level of treatment intervention needed for any addiction. Based on a persons level of motivation for sobriety, therapy can help to increase self awareness by promoting discovery of the underlying reasons for use while developing healthier coping skills to replace addictive behaviors. I do not do urine analysis.
New Moms & Postpartum Depression / Anxiety
Pregnancy related depression refers to a variety of symptoms that occur for women during pregnancy and up to at least 24 months after delivery. The majority of new moms experience some level of “baby blues”, isolation and/or anxiety making it so important to take care of oneself just as much as the new baby. Supportive therapy is highly recommended and proven beneficial for both new moms and dads.
Trauma and EMDR
Understanding the sensitive nature of trauma and how it manifests in the body and how we then relate to the world is a very powerful aspect of therapy. The most important starting point is creating a safe place to begin processing the trauma you’ve experienced. Often times attachment issues and traumatic experiences can lead to intense fears of abandonment, feeling insecure in our relationships and developing toxic irrational beliefs about ourselves. “Trauma is any past experience that one perceives as negative and that negatively impacts one’s present life. It creates extreme stress in the body and mind. ” F. Shapiro, 2001) As a trained EMDR therapist, we will discuss if this is the appropriate treatment intervention and further explain the 8 phase treatment protocol.
mood swings & mood disorders
Therapy will help a person differentiate between feeling intense emotions and experiencing mood swings while helping identify triggers. There are multiple tools that can help to manage mood swings, such as learning how to track them and develop effective coping skills.
relationship issues
Therapy is an opportunity to discover what kind of relationship you have with oneself (self-esteem), as well as, how we relate to our partner, spouse, parents, friends or others. Relationships are both complicated and fulfilling requiring attention and effort throughout a lifetime. It is helpful to understand what we bring to the table, our expectations and insecurities, as well as how to communicate our wants and needs effectively.
anxiety & panic attacks
Sweaty palms, constant worrying, feeling like you’re having a heart attack, seeing the walls closing in on you…these symptoms can feel incredibly unbearable and immobilizing. Therapy will focus on building insight into personal triggers while learning tools to reduce anxiety such as self- soothing techniques, relaxation and mindfulness among others.