Specialties
Here is some information about my specialized training to help you decide if I’m a good fit. I would be happy to talk you through this by phone before your first appointment if you’d prefer.
Trauma Focused
To me, trauma is any experience or set of circumstances that harms our relationship to ourselves, others, and/or the world. Trauma can make it hard to trust ourselves and others, can erode our hope and faith, and can cause us to shut down our emotions and disconnect from our bodies. It can be hard to stay present and know that we are safe while discussing traumatic experiences. I’m trained in approaches that help you learn to do this, so that the trauma can become an event in your past that doesn’t overwhelm or control you. One approach is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based treatment that can resolve the impacts of trauma remarkably quickly.
IFS Therapy
Internal Family Systems is a non-pathologizing (not treating you as a diagnosis, not treating you or your struggles as a sign of brokenness), evidence-based therapy. It is a respectful and deeply consent-based way of working with trauma and other challenges. It teaches you to listen inward, to self sooth, and to form a more empowered, compassionate relationship with yourself. I have completed 90-hours of live training, including conducting live therapy sessions with other participants and receiving feedback form trainers. I have also served as a Program Assistant at an additional 90-hour training, providing live coaching to participants, and receiving mentorship from lead trainers.
Adolescents, Emerging Adults
Growing up is rough. There’s so much to figure out: Who am I? Who are my people? How do I “adult”? How do I make new friends? What is a healthy relationship? Why won’t my parents leave me alone/pay any attention to me? How am I supposed to think about my future when the world is burning? I love supporting young people to navigate these challenges and find that they appreciate my mixture of humor, real talk, and earnest care for them.
LGBTQIA-affirmative
There are many ways to embody gender and sexuality, and I have specialized training in supporting people to explore and affirm these identities. I am aware of the discrimination and danger that LGBTQIA folks can face, and am prepared to support you in coping with and healing from these harms. I can also provide education and support to family members, friends, and partners as they navigate a loved one’s transition or coming out.
Relational and Client-Centered
Research shows time and again that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is more predictive of how helpful therapy will be than a therapist’s training or specialty. My approach, training, and supervision prioritizes building a safe relationship as a key ingredient for healing. I am client-centered—working from the perspective that you are the expert of your own experience, and that therapy should be in service to your goals and dreams.
Much healing can occur within our relationship itself. Your feelings about therapy and towards me are always welcome, and I am committed to receiving them with openness and care. Many of us struggle to express feelings and needs in relationships. Therapy can be a wonderful practice ground for this!
Body-Based
Our bodies hold stress and trauma. I love teaching about our nervous systems and how to care for them. I am trained in Yoga-Informed Therapy and other tools to connect with our bodies. I draw in wisdom from dance therapists, practitioners of Authentic movement and energy healers. Theses provide opportunities to notice how we feel and make choices about what feels good.
Mindfulness and Skills
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) help people build awareness of thoughts and feelings and teach strategies to observe and survive overwhelming emotions. Their goal is to help us see reality clearly, and live by our values. These can be helpful for people struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma. While I have training in these, and draw on skills, philosophies, and resources for them, I don’t practice strictly from these perspectives or follow their full protocols. If you are looking to work strictly from one of these approaches, I can help you find someone who is a better fit.
Neurodiversity
I strive to be affirmative of neurodiversity, so I list it here though I can’t fully claim it as a specialty. I learned nothing about it in grad school or internships or substantial training. I’ve overlooked it in several of my clients, in part because it seems kind of normal to me, having longtime friends and family who were only recently diagnosed. I also misunderstood feelings of “not knowing the social script” as attachment trauma. My clients have shown me this blind spot. I’m working to repair the impacts of my misunderstanding and seeking consultation, further training, and reading books to educate myself. If you’re a super researcher, you’ll likely be way ahead of my understanding. I invite you to be the expert on your brain and how to care for it. I will affirm and celebrate your learning. Through my trauma lens, I can support you to heal from the trauma of living in a neurotypical world. From working with half neurodivergent clients, I can help and normalize your experiences. If you specifically seek help with healing from autistic burnout or coaching around executive functioning, I’m not your gal, but I can happily provide you with trusted referrals.