You matter. Taking the step (or huge leap) to reach out to a therapist is no small thing. Setting an intention to make a positive difference in our lives, and the lives of those we care about, has the potential to transform us in ways we may not even expect.
We all need support sometimes. All the more so in challenging times. As someone who has benefitted from both working with a therapist, and being one, I know firsthand how humbling it can be to reach out and ask for help. But, I also know from both my personal and professional experience, that it takes real strength and commitment to try anyway.
As a therapist, I’ve been given the amazing opportunity to work with many different people and communities over the years. I’ve worked in busy out-patient clinics, with young people and their families involved in the foster care system and with adults experiencing extreme states of mind and I’ve found that with few exceptions- we all want to be loved. We want to be accepted and to feel a part of something larger than ourself, whether that’s a family, a community or a deep connection to a sense of purpose in our life. But, we need to begin by learning to provide this kind of unconditional love and acceptance for ourselves first.
One way to do that is through attention. When we are willing to stop and turn toward the source of our challenges, we have the ability to transform them into strengths. In a certain sense, there is nothing to fix- because you are not broken. Yes, we’ve all developed an interesting constellation of ways to survive, and yes, sometimes those strategies are problematic- but, you are not broken.
In my practice, I have developed an eclectic approach that is reflective of my own journey. I know firsthand how challenging working with depression and anxiety can be. In fact, it’s because of these experiences that I became a therapist and have developed the skills I use in my practice today- including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness-based approaches to therapy. I have experience working with adults and teens who struggle with issues related to anxiety, depression, significant life transitions, low self-esteem and trauma.
