find balance
achieve growth
discover well-being
find peace within yourself

You are unique and I respect your individuality. I will collaborate with you to create an integrated, eclectic approach to treatment that you will enjoy and grow from.

Here is an overview of some techniques that I might incorporate in your individualized treatment plan:

My approach is always person-centered and I truly enjoy helping people grow and change. I share my positive energy with my clients in a way that instills hope. I have a deep sense of trust in the therapeutic process and faith in my client to “do the work” in therapy to move toward progress. Typically, I like to understand your perception of your history, without focusing on the past. I like to help clients learn that they can create and shape their own lives, turning areas of pain, weakness or fear into launching pads for positive new experiences and growth.

I may use Art Therapy to assist you in finding new ways to express yourself to achieve insight, wellness, relaxation, and personal growth. You might paint, draw, journal or use photography or sculpture, in addition to processing your artwork verbally and non-verbally. If you are "not an artist" you may feel unsure about this approach, but I find that most clients end up really enjoying the use of art-making and image as part of the therapy process.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a technique that I use to challenge negative patterns of thoughts and behaviors. This approach helps people make connections between how their thoughts or beliefs result in the way they are living their lives. By identifying thoughts that are blocking progress or change, you might shift your perspective and your thoughts in a way that will help you to attain happiness and well-being.

I tend to view people through the lens of Family Systems theory, which means that I see clients as being part of a system that is greater than the self, including their family of origin and the greater culture that they are a part of. I usually consider how family dynamics may relate to presenting problems. I enjoy helping the client recognize and improve negative interaction patterns within the family, address issues from the family of origin, and develop a "family of choice." Clients often find that changing personal interactions with the family system can greatly affect the individual.

Sometimes I incorporate Jungian Analytical Psychology, using Art Therapy and other expressive therapy techniques to work with the client around symbols, image, dreams and personal mythology. This can bring awareness of the collective unconscious, helping the client recognize and use synchronicity in their life, uncovering and recognizing the effects of the “shadow” that is within us all.

With children, I use a personalized combination of Art Therapy, Play Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Sand Tray Therapy. These expressive therapies provide a way for children to express feelings that they may not be able to articulate.

Art Therapy involves asking the child to draw, paint and use clay to share ideas and feelings. Play Therapy is therapeutic play in a controlled environment. For example, the child might use dolls or puppets to carry out imaginative play that will help me better understand feelings and perceptions. In Narrative Therapy, the child might create stories about imagined characters that relate to what the child is actually experiencing. Sand Tray Therapy is a specialized technique in which children use small toys and objects to play and carry out scenes and interactions within a controlled sand tray that is an appropriate size and height for the child.