My career as a social worker specializing in attachment and a Jungian Analyst-in-training allows me to bring a breadth of experience and a depth perspective to the problems that concern you, from anxiety and depression to relationships, career or life-change issues. Regardless of why you are considering therapy, I can help you find a deeper connection to your inner life and discover your personal strengths to enjoy the quality of life you have been seeking.
My practice specializes in treating individuals, couples and families and I offer comprehensive services dealing with:
It’s often hard to seek help when we need it the most, and this is especially true when we experience the loss of energy that accompanies depression. When feelings of sadness won’t go away, it’s helpful to have an experienced guide to reduce distress. We will begin by focusing on practical steps to relieve some of the heaviness that accompanies depression. Together, we will look at how the past continues to influence the present and explore the relationships, losses or situations that contribute to your depression. Through this process, you will discover a new sense of self as well as renewed energy.
The pace of today’s world creates anxiety for many of us. When insecurities and fears become pervasive, or turn into anxiety attacks or phobias, it’s time to consider seeking help. Anxiety has a physiological aspect, and learning practical calming techniques will help reduce your symptoms as we uncover the feelings that are causing them. (For instance, anxiety can be rooted in a drive towards perfection or in feelings of insecurity.) Together, we will work toward understanding the meaning of your anxiety and building your sense of inner calm.
As a couple, you and your partner might seek therapy because your relationship is in crisis; because one or both of you has identified a stumbling block in your relationship; or because you both want to strengthen your relationship. If necessary, we will first focus on the steps needed to establish stability. Next, we will explore the attachment defenses, and the unconscious patterns operating in your relationship and how each of you contributes your own set of struggles, beliefs, and complexes. As you each learn to be responsible for your own needs, building skills such as empathic listening, dispute resolution and meaningful connection, your relationship will become stronger and more intimate.
Grief and Loss
A significant loss may cause not only sadness, but also a confusing mixture of anger, fear, remorse and guilt, making the process of letting go even more difficult. In addition to the loss of a loved one, life experiences such as chronic illness, disability, divorce, or unwanted life transitions can bring about feelings of grief. We are often encouraged to “get on” with life instead of moving through the mourning process at our own pace. Our work will give you the space and time you need to fully experience your loss, transform unmanageable feelings and gain a sense of comfort and healing.
Trauma and Abuse
Whether long past or recent, traumatic experiences can overload our brains, leaving us with unprocessed feelings that result in symptoms such as anxiety, intrusive images and flashbacks, numbness, and overwhelming emotions and sensations. As victims of trauma we may have trouble finding words for our experiences, especially if the trauma was suffered at the hands of a childhood caretaker. These problems prevent us from living fully in the present and can disturb our capacity for relationships. The first goal of therapy is to minimize distress that can disrupt daily life. Next, we will focus on how to regain what has been lost—including the ability to feel and to trust yourself and others—and reclaim the life you were meant to live.
Work can be emotionally sustaining, but it can also rob us of energy. Doing the work we were meant for can make a crucial difference in our lives. Are you uncertain as to whether your job or career is right for you? Perhaps you are struggling with a work relationship or are unable to strike a healthy balance between work and your personal life. Therapy will focus on finding a relationship to work that is in alignment with your core self.
Which Therapeutic Approach is Right for you?
No process of self discovery is the same. Each of us have our own unique pace, typology, and complexities, among many other individualistic qualities. This makes my work with clients continually fascinating, enriching, and challenging. Whether you know the type of therapy you are seeking or not, together we will decide on the most beneficial therapeutic interventions to meet your specific needs. I am privileged to participate in your unique process of growth and self discovery.
Dyadic (parent/child) Therapy
Raising a family is naturally stressful. Attachment theory addresses the quality of a child’s attachment to his/her parent and is associated with brain development. Furthermore, attachment security is associated with emotional regulation or affect regulation. Affect regulation is a term now used to describe the growth, development, and connectivity of our emotional brain called the limbic system and includes the ranges set into our autonomic nervous system based upon our early experiences with parents. Because these largely unconscious early experiences guide the wiring of the brain, people often feel entrapped in relational patterns that prevent their full human expression, development, and happiness. Whether you are struggling with your role as a parent, or doubting your ability to meet your child’s needs, or interested in learning the latest research in child development, I can assist you in reading infant/child cues and behavior as well as your own attachment style to create a healthy and secure relationship. Read More