My work as a psychotherapist has included varied and intensive training and experience with individuals, couples, and families, as well as being in the public sector developing evidence-based mental health services to vulnerable populations facing health and socio-economic disparities. Being a single working parent and the head of a multi-racial and multi-cultural family heightened my awareness of the challenges facing so many of us as workers, family members, and part of the broader community.
Establishing a responsive, empathetic, and trusting therapeutic alliance is important for therapy to be effective and is always a consideration in how I work. I draw on a variety of influences, blending best practices from cognitive-behavioral, family systems, and psychodynamic orientations with a particular interest in mindfulness-based therapy and Buddhist psychology. As a therapist I always seek to be guided by values of kindness, compassion, shared non-judgmental curiosity, and care.
Some of the ways we might collaborate include considering the impact of social and familial conditioning; reflecting on past and current relationships to support connecting with others in ways that feel satisfying and balanced; identifying potentially self-defeating internal beliefs and narratives and creating new stories that are more positive and empowering; exploring additional tools and resources for responding to difficult circumstances with a sense of greater presence and calm; cultivating greater self-compassion and a more loving relationship to the self; and mining the rich potential of memories, dreams, stories, and metaphors to facilitate increased understanding of your unique life purpose, values, challenges, and hopes.
Even though life is messy, imperfect, and often painful, I firmly believe in therapy as a resource to support you moving through it with less suffering, more wise awareness, and a greater sense of joy, spaciousness, and possibility. Poet E.E. Cummings says “it takes courage to grow up and become who you truly are.” I look forward to working with you in your own process of becoming yourself ever more fully, and in using that authenticity and self-acceptance to move towards creating the life that you seek.