Practice Philosophy

 

My practice philosophy is to start wherever you are and to walk alongside you in your path of personal growth, towards greater well-being & peace. I believe in every person’s unique wisdom and ability to formulate solutions when warmly supported to recognize their strengths.

 

Though I am keenly aware of the power of thoughts & emotions to cause suffering, I also know that you are NOT your thoughts & emotions but something much greater – and that it is possible to find freedom from that suffering. I believe that with support & guidance, we can all tap into the deep reservoir of calm awareness that exists underneath the layers of stress, planning, worrying, thinking, questioning ourselves, and all the other ways we can cause ourselves distress. I also believe strongly in the power of the present moment. I will invite you to open up to the strength and calm that can come from attending to the always unfolding present moment, one breath at a time.

 

I know that deep wounds can be created in unhealthy family, romantic, and other relationships, both in childhood and across the lifespan. But the flip side to that—which gives me great hope & encouragement!—is that healthy relationships in the present moment can help heal those wounds and move you towards greater wellness and even, eventually, to joy! I am a student of neurobiology, and I know (both from academic learning & personal experience) that the brain is constantly adapting and changing. This is wonderful news because it means that we can choose to positively impact the way in which our brain re-wires! I am here to offer guidance, support, and specific strategies so that you can identify steps needed to re-wire your brain for greater wellness & well-being.

 

I also believe that self-care and self-compassion are among the greatest gifts we can give ourselves on our path to healing. In our busy, over-stressed, Western society, we all too often beat ourselves up, fill our heads with self-doubt, and run ourselves ragged. (I know– I have done this too!) I will support you to develop a plan for self-care in order to combat some of these insidious forces in our world – so that you can carve out some space and time to just BE. I also help you shine light on those unhelpful, self-critical parts of yourself that may have been telling you stories for so long that you really believe they’re true. Together, we can pull some of those parts of self out of the darkness and truly see them for the creations that they are. Opening your heart to feel compassion for yourself and your own suffering is a critical piece to being able to feel kindness, warmth, and compassion for others. And when you are able to feel those feelings towards others, a joyous life becomes possible.

 

Sometimes I work with people to solve specific, time-sensitive problems, and I use solutions-focused strategies and techniques to help them develop plans of action.  Sometimes I help people manage particular symptoms that are causing distress, teaching skills for coping.  Sometimes I offer strategies and practices for stress reduction. Sometimes I help people really dig into their histories and their deeper wounds, diving in together to a longer term healing and self-care process. When needed, I  refer people to participate in other activities, groups, or communities to get their needs met – whether this means going to yoga, seeing a doctor, meeting with a nutritionist, or joining a spiritual community.  Always, I work from each individual’s unique context & attend to his or her emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.

 

I am grateful to have the opportunity to witness the growth and transformation that can arise within the context of a safe, supportive, & non-judgmental therapeutic relationship.  Thank you so much for embarking on this journey with me.