How the work works
Real change rarely happens through force. It happens through understanding. My work is collaborative, intentionally paced, and grounded in the relationship we build together.
"We don't have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to."
Brené BrownA therapy rooted in the importance of relationships in a person's life. We focus on how past and present relationships shape thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and work to foster safety and deeper connection. We ask what rupture and repair look like for you, what hurts, and what helps bring you back in.
Crucially, we consider the impacts of broader social dynamics and marginalization on the individual, bringing full context to the work rather than treating symptoms in isolation.
"Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize."
Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieWe separate the person from the problem and, focusing on your strengths and values, re-author more empowering narratives: new stories we tell about ourselves. A process of shedding old identities that no longer serve, and a process of integration.
The goal is not to rewrite history, but to find a different relationship to it, one where you are the author rather than the subject.
"Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness."
Peter LevineEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an evidence-based approach that offers a more structured path to reprocessing distressing experiences. We spend time cultivating internal and external resources before approaching anything difficult.
We face the darkness together, to integrate new experiences and allow room for new stories to take root. You are never pushed further than you are ready to go.
"Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing."
Julia CameronWords are but one mode of self-expression. Visual art, the written word, music, color, breath, and 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.
This is not art therapy in the traditional sense. It is an invitation to let the body speak when language falls short.
Trauma-informed care shifts 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.
This means recognizing the prevalence and impact of trauma, understanding how it lives in the body and in patterns of relating, and integrating this awareness into every aspect of therapy.
LGBTQ+-affirming care embraces and validates the identities and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. This is not a specialty add-on. It is a baseline orientation that shapes every conversation in the room.
This means working with an understanding of the particular stressors that come with minority stress, identity development, family systems, and the ongoing work of living authentically in a world that doesn't always make that easy.
Ready to begin
A free 20-minute video consultation. You don't need to have it figured out before we talk.