For psychotherapy my goal is to personalize an approach with you that is mindfulness based and integrates all levels of human functioning—body, emotions, mind, relationships, spirit–and works at the level that is best suited for the particular challenges you are facing.
Why mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a contemplative awareness practice which emphasizes:
- attention in the present moment, now.
- contact with sensory experience (e.g. feelings, thoughts, body sensations, perceptions.)
- contact with awareness (or consciousness) itself.
- a non-interfering attitude towards whatever arises in experience.
These mindful awareness skills work to calm the body and mind. Being calm allows you to be focused and present in therapy. Additionally, mindful awareness allows us to go beyond objects–body, mind, emotions, relationships–to look at that which experiences all of these as sensations. Awareness does not change as the objects of experience come and go in it.
Together we build it
In addition to mindfulness I bring strategies informed by many psychotherapy traditions. Most often I use combinations of neuroscience, cognitive therapy, Somatic Experiencing, IFS therapy (Internal Family Systems), Person-Centered Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). However, your personal treatment plan must include your own prior experience of how you cope best. Bring what works for you based on past experience and together we will build something new.
To summarize, I work from a foundation of mindfulness skills (mine and yours) and use psychotherapies which are effective for the particular area(s) where there is difficulty—i.e. body, mind, relationships, spiritual. We work together to build a bridge from your present distress to a place where you feel at home being yourself–at ease, confident, peaceful. My work is effective for depression, anxiety, chronic pain, work/life conflicts, relationship difficulties, trauma, identity transitions, existential concerns, loss and grieving, etc.