I provide confidential counseling and psychotherapy to adults and adolescents/teens 14+. My approach to counseling uses a range of tested techniques based in established theories. I draw primarily from Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Existential Therapy when working with clients. I also work in several other modalities according to what fits best for the client such as Narrative Therapy, Gestalt therapy, Reality Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief therapy, and Relational Approach. Regardless of the approach taken in therapy, I always provide an affirmative, safe space for clients to explore and reflect.
Couples and Family Therapy
I also work with couples and families, focusing on how patterns of communication contribute to relationship dysfunction. I emphasize family systems, or how all parts of the family interact and influence each other in reciprocity. I frequently work with couples and families on identity issues, especially as it pertains to families with LGBTQ+ members and relationships. Couples/family therapy is an opportunity for clients to come together as a unified group in order to work on problems together and encourage mutual growth.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a crucial tool in therapy that can help point out how the ways we think can be faulty and therefore perpetuate negative feelings and behaviors. By examining these thoughts and working on ways to counteract them, I help clients reframe situations and pull-back from the irrational judgments placed on the self and others. CBT is an evidenced-based approach that has been extensively researched and shown to be very effective in treating a wide array of issues, including but not limited to Depression, Anxiety, Social Phobia, Panic Attacks, etc.
Mindfulness-based Therapy
I like to incorporate the benefits of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in therapy as a means to help manage a wide range of situations. Mindfulness, the state of being in the present moment and non-judgmental of your emotions/current state, can be a vital component of effectively and positively managing symptoms and developing adaptive coping mechanisms. My mindfulness approach involves Conscious Breathing, Guided Imagery and Meditation, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and much more. Mindfulness has also been shown to be an effective treatment for many conditions like anxiety and panic attacks as well as for the management of chronic pain.
Existential Therapy
My experience and studies in literature paved the way for my current philosophical and therapeutic approach in counseling. It was the influence of French authors like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus that left a huge mark on my professional development. I would later consolidate their teachings with experts in Psychology, such as Viktor Frankl and his emphasis on the "will to meaning." How we make meaning out of the suffering we endure can be one of the most powerful questions in counseling.