Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 

CBT is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic intervention that focuses on connections between how we think, behave, and feel. These three areas are interactive and creating more insight into how they relate allows us to learn new ways to respond to our environment. These strategies are effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety, grief and loss, life adjustment, family challenges, PTSD, and more. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is an intervention aimed at helping clients let go of wrestling with symptoms and learn new ways to accept feelings versus avoiding them. Our brain does its job by stearing us away from facing negative experiences, and our own responses aimed at keeping us safe can become outdated and get in the way. Learning to accept uncomfortable feelings and staying flexible facing life on life's terms can be freeing. 

Beyond CBT and ACT

Though Cognitive-Behavioral trained, I use practical and ecclectic styles of interventions to ensure that treatment is case specific. Each of us is unique in how we relate to the world around us and our histories, and this is taken into consideration. I focus on a client-centered approach allowing the client to guide their pace in treatment. I find that most people appreciate a personable approach while not feeling pressured to answer to someone else's expectations. 

 I welcome the inclusion of other important people in your life.  Understanding how you relate to others and how they experience you is important in building interpersonal intelligence. When working with youth, parental involvement is strongly encouraged. Treating the family system as a team promotes more immediate conflict resolution and guarantees the best outcome for all. Learning strategies to evolve your parent-child dynamic allows you to enjoy your children and to see this period of change as a normal stage in life.

Psychoeducation is an important part of my process. Teaching clients about their body and how biology influences our experiences can help clients better understand how to manage their feelings. Learning ways to cooperate with our central nervous system and why our body responds the way it does helps clients move beyond stuck points.

Please note, next to building the therapeutic relationship, your commitment to the process of counseling is the most crucial aspect of treatment success. Therapy is work. Looking at yourself and trying to change is hard. Having someone at your side in this process with compassion makes this easier. If you have questions about the course of therapy, I can clarify this for you.

Specific Areas of Focus

• Domestic Violence
• Mood Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Marital discord and interpersonal struggles
• School adjustment
• Adjustments to parenting
• Grief and/or Loss
• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilites
• Life transitions 
• Caregiver stress
• Assertiveness training
• Trauma (Big "T" and Small "T" trauma)