Modalities and Resources
I use a variety of modalities and resources when working with clients. My goal is to meet all clients where they are, even if that means getting a little creative.
Solution-Focused
I like to strive for noticeable progress towards your goals in 6-8 sessions. Sessions may feel a bit slow in the beginning as we try to clearly define the problem and set goals, but this only helps us narrow down the best course of action or tools for you. Once we get a clear idea, we will brainstorm tools for you to experiment with in your day to day life. The key is to treat this all as a scientist would approach testing - we have a hypothesis of what will help, we will experiment, and we will bring all data back to session to discuss.
Evidence-Based
All of my therapeutic approaches are evidenced-based, but I am most clear about this in my approach to couples counseling. During those sessions, I most often reference the research and tools of Dr. John Gottman.
It has been said that if a couple were to meet with Dr. Gottman himself, he would be able to tell the couple down to the month when their relationship would end, and with 90% accuracy. He is able to do this based on his 40+ years of research into couples. His most groundbreaking research is what he calls “The Four Horseman” (named after “The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse”) and they are the four major issues that destroy any and every relationship. You can take a look at the information - do any apply to your relationship? We can work on changing those together.
If you are curious to learn more about Dr. Gottman’s research, check out his website here.
Developmentally-Informed
As a Child and Youth Military and Family Life Counselor (CYB MFLC) working in Child Development Centers (CDCs) and the Youth Center, I saw many children moving through many stages of development. When I found myself becoming frustrated with behaviors that some children displayed, I had to remind myself of their age, family circumstances, relationships with the caregivers in the room, and any changes in eating or sleeping patterns before I started to address personalities or behaviors. I found that our plans to work with behavioral and/or emotional goals had the best chance of success when we looked at a child holistically, and without judgement.
In addition to learning more about child development, I also learned that my most successful interactions with children under 11 years old were when I was working as a team with the child’s parents. A child’s parents already know so much about their child; for example, what has changed in the past few months, what their child generally responds to, etc. Many times, young children lack the ability to express these things, but their parents know exactly what to say. By working together as a team, we can create a feeling of support that can last throughout a child’s life.
Family as a System
Families are complicated. There are sibling relationships, parent relationships, grandparent relationships, as well as societal and cultural influences about what “family” means and what it looks like.
In Family Systems Theory, we agree that all families are systems that are functioning as best they can with the input they receive. To change a family’s operating system, though, it’s not as simple as just changing one source of input. It will take careful examination of multiple systems - but it’s not impossible! We can work together to find what’s best for your family, and how we can get there.
Deep Dives
Do you have the sense that something’s not quite right, but you aren’t sure what it is? Has traditional talk therapy failed to identify the problem and/or solution in the past? I have a tool that other therapists may not have: the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM). I was trained in BMGIM at the Atlantis Institute for Consciousness and Music, and I am currently a Level One practitioner.
If mental blockages are a brick wall, I like to think of BMGIM as a sledgehammer. This technique is a guided journey to your subconscious with the use of curated music programs and questions to facilitate your journey. Clients who have participated in BMGIM in sessions have unique experiences - sometimes people see colors, images, or even experience physical sensations. This is not meditation - it’s more of a guided walk around the inner workings of your brain.
The music listening portion of these sessions is relatively short - sometimes as short as 5 minutes. We spend a good majority of the time speaking about what you experienced. Clients may also spend time journaling about the experience after the session.
Because of the intensity of the experience, BMGIM is not recommended for people experiencing active psychosis, or for those who are under the age of 18.
Contact us
Please reach out with any questions or concerns.