Therapeutic Approach

Relational, Creative and Integrative

Relational Gestalt Psychotherapy

“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” (Brene Brown)

A therapeutic rooted in the importance of relationships in a person’s life, and the impacts on emotional well-being. We focus on how past and present relationships influence thoughts, feelings, behaviors,, and aims to improve overall well-being by fostering safety, and deeper connections in one’s relationships. We ask what the process of rupture and repair is like, what hurts and what helps bring you back in. Crucially, we consider the impacts of broader discourse and marginalization on the individual.

Narrative

We separate the person from the problem, and, focusing on your strengths and values, re-author new, more empowering narratives and stories we tell about ourselves. A process of shedding old skin and identities that no longer serve us. A process of integration

“Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize.” (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization + Reprocessing)

“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” (Peter Levine)

An evidence-based approach that offers a more structured approach to reprocessing distressing experiences. We spend time cultivating internal and external resources and face the darkness together, to integrate new experiences and allow room for new stories to take root.

Expressive Arts

“Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing.” (Julia Cameron)

“Inside you there’s an artist you don’t know about.” (Rumi)

Words are but one mode of self-expression. Visual art, the written word, music, color, breath, movement, are others. When words don’t seem to fit, we can use other modes of expression, as ways to connect with emotions, and integrate our experiences in the past and present.

Trauma-Informed & LGBTQ-Affirming

Trauma-informed care and an LGBTQ-affirming perspective are the starting points of my approach

Trauma-informed care emphasizes changing the focus from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?” This approach provides a framework for understanding and responding to the effects of trauma, prioritizing the creation of a safe, supportive, and empowering environment for those who have experienced trauma. This therapy involves recognizing the prevalence and impact of trauma, understanding its effects on individuals, and integrating this awareness into all aspects of therapy (SAMHSA https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7896604/)

LGBTQ-Affirming care is embraces and validates the identities and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals