"Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce." -Natalie Goldberg
In life, each of us faces a journey through diverse emotional terrain. Too often, from early childhood on, we are not equipped for the mountains and valleys, for the unexpected turns on the trail. Often we carry trauma not just in our minds, but in our bodies -- with complex nervous systems extending from the brain out into our lungs, our circulatory systems, our digestive tracts, and more. The trauma we experience is frequently relational, complicating our ability to nurture an individual self while also attaching to other humans in a healthy way.
Through our education and training, my team and I have clarified what we already knew as clients of therapy ourselves: healing trauma, living with mental illness, and repairing relationships (1) must be person-centered and culturally competent, (2) must include the body, and (3) must push beyond the repetition of painful stories into the cultivation of post-traumatic growth.
We each enjoy working with clients of all ages--as individuals, couples, and families. We caringly walk with our clients and challenge them to notice what idiosyncracies they bring into the room and into our therapeutic relationship. Our team welcomes clients' feedback on the process, enjoys using mindfulness-based practices, art therapy, inner family system work, a solutions focus, and somatic interventions--among others--to help clients move into greater resilience.
I’ve thoroughly studied and continue to study the needs of LGBTQ+ clients and their families, as well as the needs of many other targeted minority clients whose identities are different than my own. Allyship for me is a lived relationship where I invest in my own learning -- so my targeted minority clients do not carry the burden of educating me, and can simply show up and be supported. I prioritize a thorough level of training in cultural humility and competency for our team.
If you have any questions about our team’s training, education, background, or approach to therapy -- please reach out through the contact page. No question is silly, or weird, or stupid. All questions are important and welcome! If you’d like to peruse my team of talented Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapists, you may do so here.
I look forward to connecting soon. Feel free to reach out anytime!
