My approach focuses on helping you first to grow in your awareness of how factors both within yourself and outside of yourself may be negatively impacting you. When you experience life as more of a struggle than not, it is often due to a complex number of issues that are not simple or easy to figure out. The truth is we all have 'blind-spots' in our self-awareness. It can help to have a trained, supportive and objective person to help you identify and understand what is causing you to be stuck. 

This process is often about removing internal obstacles that may be getting in your way, so you can experience more satisfaction, fulfillment, and positive momentum in your life. These obstacles are often what lead to symptoms of depression or anxiety. They can involve inner conflict, loss, trauma, a spiritual issue, the past, coping through the use of substances, shame, and distorted beliefs. In addition to internal factors and certain behavior patterns, there are also external obstacles you may need to address such as difficult people, situations out of your control, communication problems, and such. 

During therapy, once we both have more clarity and understanding regarding the factors that are getting in the way, then we can focus on addressing these issues. In addition, we can attend to areas where there may be skill deficits related to managing symptoms, coping, or relationship issues. As we focus on these areas, I am guided by what strategies are going to be most effective for you given who you are and what your goals are. In this way, I incorporate ideas, theories, and strategies from many theoretical orientations. I see therapy as collaborative where both you and I bring our unique personality, history, and knowledge into the therapy relationship.

I would consider myself somewhat of a generalist in that I assist adult and adolescent clients with a broad number of concerns. However, I specialize in treating three main treatment areas. First, I help people with anxiety concerns which may be expressed in diagnoses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, perfectionism, and dissociative disorders. I also specialize in assisting people who have experienced past or recent trauma in the form of a physical or sexual assault, abuse, an accident, or an emotionally abusive relationship. One focus here is to reclaim a sense of safety, confidence, and wholeness while reducing intense anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, and stress. Although it can feel anxiety-provoking in the short term to consider therapy, it can really help you in these areas. Depression is another area I work a lot with, as I assist clients on issues such as low self-esteem, self-criticism, frequent tearfulness, shame, emptiness, isolation, fatigue, and hopelessness. My approach is to remove obstacles to help you feel more alive and empowered.

When appropriate, if your faith is important to you, we can look at how your religious or spiritual journey may fit in understanding yourself and what you are going through. I am comfortable supporting you whether your spiritual beliefs are similar or different than mine. In the end, although we can have profound differences from each other, we do share a common experience of being fellow human beings trying to live in and make sense of ourselves and the world. 

If my approach interests you, I would love to hear from you to find a time for us to meet. At the bottom of this page, I have a contact form to ask questions or to set up an appointment.