My Approach to Therapy
Somatic
People who seek therapy with me often feel like in their past therapy there was something missing or they just can’t imagine how sitting and talking about their problems would actually help. They describe a desire for therapy that isn’t just sitting and rehashing but a space to really discover deeper truths and connect to a source of deeper understanding and empowerment. I believe often the thing that is missing in traditional therapy is really tuning into the deep wisdom our body holds to guide our healing processes and beyond. In every thought, every experience, every step of our lives our body is with us but how often do we really pay attention and check in on how our body is feeling. Living in this modern world there is virtually nowhere we are truly invited to tune into the subtle messages our bodies are communicating every day and how to incorporate those messages into our awareness to lead healthy and authentic lives. The word somatic comes from the Greek, soma, meaning body. Somatic therapy is a holistic approach that invites greater mind body awareness and invites you to drink in the deep wisdom that is held in your bodies to help guide healing.
Dance/Movement Therapy
My clients come to therapy because they want and they need things to change and they need that change to begin as soon as possible. Our bodies are one of the most unrecognized and powerful tools for change in our lives. You can try right now, maybe bring your spine a little straighter and center yourself over your hips, or bring your shoulders down like you are tucking them in your back pocket and let yourself fully exhale. Notice what happens when you make just small changes to your movement in this moment and what meaning do you make of it? Movement is a guaranteed path to change in every moment of our lives. Dance/Movement therapy harnesses this power by actively supporting letting the body have a say in therapy. No dance experience is necessary and choreography is optional, your body knows what do to support the change you are seeking, you just need a little space and nurturance to let it flow.
Growth Oriented
What is your vision for your life? What do you want to nurture and allow to grow inside of yourself, in your relationships, in your work? Growth, more than anything, is built on the clarity of knowing where you want to go next and figuring out what will help you get there. In therapy with me we will create a space to nurture and cultivate your own sense clarity so you can feel like you really know down to your bones where you want your life to go and what is gonna help you on your journey. My clients often come to therapy feeling disconnected from their true wants and needs and through therapy discover the ingredients that truly help them to cultivate healthy relationships, find connection to community, create a healthy relationship to their body, and a root into a sense of purpose.
Strengths Based
A lot about the experience of therapy with me can be summed up by the phrase, I believe you are stronger than you are probably feeling right now. I believe that you hold within yourself all that you need to overcome what is feeling hard or impossible. Strength can take many shapes and forms. Often the strongest among us are not the first to ask for help and support. Therapy with me is a deep dive into your undiscovered and untapped strengths, skills, abilities, and creativity. Strengths based therapy is a collaborative approach to healing that deliberately emphasizes and draws from your unique experiences and history to create new possibilities and horizons where it seemed like there was nothing before. You will leave therapy feeling more connected to yourself, your values, your purpose and more confident in your ability to follow find your way through the dark.
Trauma Informed
Hard and overwhelming things happen in almost every life and when they do our lives can start to feel less and less recognizable. We may avoid things we used to enjoy and not even know why, it can feel difficult to connect in relationships, it can seem impossible to make decisions or trust ourselves, and it can feel like there is nothing that brings us joy anymore. My clients often say they don’t even know where to start to begin feeling a better. Through recognizing and honoring the impact overwhelming experiences have our bodies, minds, and souls we begin the delicate dance of healing what feels like it can’t be healed. In my work with trauma I use different approaches that are tailored to your specific needs and gently create space to breath and reconnect to yourself. Healing is possible and therapy can help.