Recognizing Your Strengths
I became a Licensed Psychotherapist because I am passionate about helping people uncover the best version of themselves. Life is complex and everyone one of us will eventually encounter hardships that require us to look inward. Thus the heart of my Private Practice is helping people access their personal depth and resilience so that they can live a more creative, connected and meaningful life. This process requires a commitment to self reflection, a commitment to this relational process, and a radical accountability that is easily avoided in today's world of self-soothing distractions. While discomfort is often unavoidable in growth, this deep psychodynamic, existential & humanistic process creates the space for a more innovative, relational & engaged self to emerge.
My Background
The question that has driven me since I was a child is "What motivates a person's behaviors and informs the decisions that they make?" It was my search for answers that put me on the path of my rich and varied education. Prior to studying Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, I received a degree in Writing & Literature and Religious Studies from Naropa University. Additionally, at the Sharpham College in the UK I studied comprehensive Buddhist Studies and Contemporary Enquiry. My desire to understand our human proclivity towards suffering has been at the root of my interests, and subsequently the importance of cultivating compassion for oneself as well as for others has become a central theme in my work. I consider myself truly fortunate to have been a "fly on the wall" in the rooms with some of the world's most profound academic and spiritual teachers.
My Approach
Depth Psychology was established in 1931 Zurich by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler who was a mentor to Carl Jung. The field of Depth Psychology is interdisciplinary and eclectic and draws on literature, philosophy, mythology, critical thinking, music & the arts. My work is with people who are wanting to explore outside of more clinical modalities and challenge themselves to a life of greater profundity, connection and creative wisdom. There is ever increasing evidence for the efficacy of this approach, as studies show that depth psychology has a longer-lasting and more profound impact than cognitive or behavioral psychologies alone. My approach is warm, relational and always fully confidential. Together we explore the patterns that have dictated or limited your life thus far. The goal is to ultimately shift your perspective to one of greater creative engagement and meaning.
Grief & Loss Support
Everyone will eventually encounter loss and experience profound grief. Whether it is the devastating loss of a loved one, a significant relationship ending, aging or illness, a shift in parenting, an unexpected change or event, or even the loss of a beloved pet, we will all eventually need support for loss. The stages of grief are real, but the lived experience can be much more of a spiral versus a linear process. Frankly, it is one of our hardest endeavors to navigate the huge variety of feelings that we experience when faced with immense loss, and all too often the experience is compounded by a feelings of extreme isolation and loneliness. And while grief might look slightly different for everyone, the silver lining is that you are never fully alone in the experience of it. Regardless of one's stage of grieving, there are always others who can share in your perspective and offer support. Please reach out if you are interested in my online grief support groups. My individual practice always provides grief support for individuals and families.
Healthy Attachment for Relationships and Families
All of my work is grounded through the lens of Attachment Theory. In recent years the idea of Attachment Styles as become quite trendy, and I see this as an overall healthy shift in our culture. For me, it was during Graduate School that I discovered how deeply I resonated with the work and perspectives of Melanie Klein, John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, who were the early founders of Object Relations Theory and Attachment Theory. Their comprehensive research so distinctly outlines how the early years of our life shape our behaviors and our understanding of human relationships that this became an immediate passion and focus of mine. My offerings include, Motherhood & Parenting Support, Parent & Child Communication, and working with individuals and couples to understand how Attachment impacts mental health and all of our adult relationships.
Cultivating Your Emotional Intelligence & Agility
I believe in every individual's inherent personal wisdom and that our experiences from a young age shape and mold how we show up and engage with the world around us. But we are not stagnate beings. In fact, every person has the capacity to change and grow throughout their lives. We are only ever limited by a lack of curiosity or by a false belief that we are somehow unworthy or unable to change our circumstances. Therefore my work also includes education about the brain, how our hormones and physical health can impact our emotional well being and the legacy of unresolved intergenerational trauma. When we cultivate greater self awareness, understand the nuances of our personal physicality and identify limiting beliefs, we subsequently increase our empathy and emotional intelligence allowing for healthier and more satisfying relationships in all areas of our life.
Mindfulness Meditation Instructor
As a Certified Meditation Instructor and practitioner of 25+ years, my work can include private instruction on the benefits of a regular meditation practice. Truly a cornerstone to regulating the nervous system, meditation allows us to increase our self awareness and deepen our relationship to self and to others as we come to understand the nature of our own minds. Please let me know if you have an established meditation practice or are curious about meditation.
Academic Lecturer and Educator
My academic background along with my variety of classroom experiences with all ages (Preschool through Grad School) has given me the foundation to teach or guest lecture on a variety of subjects that I love; literature, poetry, psychology, and most recently a series of lectures on Attachment Theory.
I genuinely enjoy working with all ages, value teaching opportunities, and always feel privileged to support others in their learning. I consider myself to be a lifelong student.
“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
C.G. Jung