My approach to therapy: what's key?
As a therapist my approach to therapy evolves and adapts to meet your needs. At the core of my approach is my belief that the key to change in therapy is creating a safe environment in which you can explore the issues that brought you to therapy, and try out new ways of coping with them. This environment is established by building a strong and mutually trusting therapeutic relationship.
Greatly informing my approach are the ideals of feminist therapy. This therapy examines how things like gender, culture, and experiences of powerlessness and oppression contribute to a person’s feelings of distress and pain. And no, this isn't a therapy only for women, it's for anyone (including men) who has felt frustrated or overwhelmed by the expectations of our culture (society, parents, family) for staggering individual success (however defined), wealth, beauty, perfection, etc. It's also for those who have been overtly or covertly oppressed by abuse, neglect, or discrimination and/or who have experienced feeling powerless, excluded, or "different." There is not one set of techniques associated with feminist therapy. Instead, what we do will be determined collaboratively between us, exploring what works best for you, and moves you closer to reaching your therapy goals, and feeling like an empowered agent in your own life.
I often use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and Narrative Therapy, along with concepts from trauma recovery and attachment theories.
I will likely ask you to pay attention to and talk about your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I may ask you to try exercises that help you gain a greater awareness of these things. In addition, I may request you read information, monitor your experiences, or complete other tasks outside of our sessions. You have the absolute right to refuse to do any of these things. I will be happy to discuss all exercises or techniques I propose, and review my reasoning for proposing them. Please feel free to ask any questions you have about therapy in general, or your therapy specifically, at any time through out the course of our work together.
Therapy has potential emotional risks. Approaching feelings or thoughts that you have tried not to think about for a long time may be painful. Making changes in your beliefs or behaviors can be scary, and sometimes disruptive to the relationships you already have. You may find your relationship with me to be a source of strong feelings. It is important that you consider carefully whether these risks are worth the benefits to you of changing. Most people who take these risks find that therapy is helpful.
Please find additional information for Adolescents (and their parents) and Couples on those tabs.
Greatly informing my approach are the ideals of feminist therapy. This therapy examines how things like gender, culture, and experiences of powerlessness and oppression contribute to a person’s feelings of distress and pain. And no, this isn't a therapy only for women, it's for anyone (including men) who has felt frustrated or overwhelmed by the expectations of our culture (society, parents, family) for staggering individual success (however defined), wealth, beauty, perfection, etc. It's also for those who have been overtly or covertly oppressed by abuse, neglect, or discrimination and/or who have experienced feeling powerless, excluded, or "different." There is not one set of techniques associated with feminist therapy. Instead, what we do will be determined collaboratively between us, exploring what works best for you, and moves you closer to reaching your therapy goals, and feeling like an empowered agent in your own life.
I often use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and Narrative Therapy, along with concepts from trauma recovery and attachment theories.
I will likely ask you to pay attention to and talk about your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I may ask you to try exercises that help you gain a greater awareness of these things. In addition, I may request you read information, monitor your experiences, or complete other tasks outside of our sessions. You have the absolute right to refuse to do any of these things. I will be happy to discuss all exercises or techniques I propose, and review my reasoning for proposing them. Please feel free to ask any questions you have about therapy in general, or your therapy specifically, at any time through out the course of our work together.
Therapy has potential emotional risks. Approaching feelings or thoughts that you have tried not to think about for a long time may be painful. Making changes in your beliefs or behaviors can be scary, and sometimes disruptive to the relationships you already have. You may find your relationship with me to be a source of strong feelings. It is important that you consider carefully whether these risks are worth the benefits to you of changing. Most people who take these risks find that therapy is helpful.
Please find additional information for Adolescents (and their parents) and Couples on those tabs.