Services
I provide treatment for a variety of different issues and various treatment methods, including:
Individual, couples, and family therapy for adolescents and adults
Stress and Anxiety Reduction
Has there been an event that has created some nervousness, frustration, angry or worry? Do you regularly feel uneasy, fearful or apprehensive? These are signs of stress and/or anxiety. Stress and anxiety are often used interchangeable, but I want to make a distinction. Stress is more situational while anxiety is a more pervasive and generalized feeling. Stress can lead to anxiety and someone can have anxiety as well as experience stress.
It is important to note we all experience stress and probably anxiety from time to time. It is a fundamental part of life, but stress and anxiety can get out-of-hand. If you feel like your life is driven by stress or you are experiencing anxiety much of the time, it's time for a change. There are many methods to reducing stress and anxiety. Call today to set up an appointment!
Mindfulness and Meditation
Jon Kabat-Zinn, who created a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program and launched it at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979, describes Mindfulness as "presence of heart." He takes this from the direct translation of the Chinese character pictograph for Mindfulness. It is two symbols, one meaning presence, the other meaning heart.
Mindfulness is being present in this moment; noticing our thoughts, physical sensations, feelings and environment in this given moment. This "noticing" or "mindfulness" is done without judgment. This "noticing" is not agonizing over the past moment or fretting about the coming moment. It is gently holding this moment, the now.
Mindfulness takes practice and is not about doing it "right" or "mastering" anything. It is again just noticing our given moments.
Why do we do this? What is the purpose? We as a society spend an awful lot of time in negative thought about the past or the future, which has moments of validity and importance, but we must learn to balance that with non-judgmental moments of just being. Our brain and bodies need time to re-coop. Mindfulness gives us those moments.
To learn more about Mindfulness call me for help to start practicing this restorative process in your life!
Grief and Healing
Have you experienced a loss? Loss is most commonly connected to death, but loss can also incorporate losing a job, relationship, and/or a psychological loss. A psychological loss can be defined as a loss of expectation or understanding. These losses often happen during life time transitions. Examples of psychological losses are: infertility, parenting a special needs child, and empty nest syndrome. It is important to grieve our losses and expectations in order to find the gifts. Grief is a process of emotional ups and downs. It takes time and is often very challenging. Call today for help navigating your process.
Relationship Issues
Do you find yourself feeling lost, unconnected and lonely in relationships? Perhaps you continue to repeat similar patterns in every relationship you choose. In our work together we will explore your current and past relationships to understand what leads you to choosing these partners, friends, and associates. We will then learn what needs to stay and what needs to go; what qualities you have that attract good relationships and what qualities we need to retire. We are all capable of relishing loving and joyful relationships, we just need to learn how. Call today so we can begin your journey to healthy and fulfilling relationships.
Communication Skills
We all communicate and express ourselves through language, non-verbal cues, voice and behaviors, so you would think we'd be pretty skilled at something so ordinary. Not so! Communication can be very tricky! What we are saying, how we are saying it and how we interpret what others say, can create all kinds of relationship strife! If you are having difficulty communicating with your loved one or understanding how they are communicating with you, I can help. Call me to "communicate" your needs and we'll set up an appointment today!
Identity Exploration
Sometimes we hit moments in our life when we don't know where to go next, we no longer know who we are, or we don't know how we came to be in this job, relationship, marriage, situation, and/or fill in the blank. The first step is clearing the fog and asking for help to figure out what's next. Sometimes it is relearning what we have lost. Sometimes it is rediscovering a part of self. Sometimes it is a beginning, a new direction. Sometimes it is an ending, closing the chapter. We will walk this journey together to a more grounded you!