How I Work

My goal is to help my clients overcome symptoms of anxiety, depression, or PTSD to live the lives they want. How we get there varies based on the person, but there are some things that are generally true about me and the way that I work.

First, it’s important to know that I am not a particularly formal therapist. My clients call me by my first name. My pets occasionally make appearances during sessions (usually because they’ve hidden in my office and I didn’t know they were there before I got started!). I swear in session sometimes. In general, I hold a fairly laidback atmosphere. If you’re looking for the traditional, formal, blank slate therapist… I am not that.

In addition to what many people think of as traditional talk therapy, I assign homework - skills to practice outside of session that ultimately help you reach your goals. We'll identify concrete actions you can take to make changes, and then follow up on your home practice to see what works for you and what might need to be adjusted. I typically practice from a behaviorist perspective, meaning that we work to change behaviors to improve your life. We will also spend time looking at the way your thoughts impact your behaviors and ways to change them. I practice from several modalities, and I typically incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills into most of my practice. I have found DBT to be especially effective and supportive of the changes my clients want to make. That said, I do not practice fully adherent DBT. I believe in flexibility for my clients and what they need to achieve their goals in a way that full DBT does not allow.

I also utilize Brainspotting to help clients address trauma and overcome fears and core beliefs that hold them back from being the person they want to be. There are many different ways to address these issues, but I have found Brainspotting to be extremely effective and also very efficient. Some forms of therapy take years to accomplish what can be achieved with Brainspotting in a few months. Where we look affects how we feel - and with Brainspotting, we can harness that power to overcome what’s been holding you back.

Generally speaking, I offer standing appointments to clients. This ensures you can plan ahead for appointments and never have to worry about forgetting to reschedule. I offer weekly or biweekly options based on your need and what you feel is reasonable for you (financially and emotionally) at the time. As time passes, we may adjust how frequently you are coming based on what you’re working on and what your needs are.