My Approach

“Out of your vulnerabilities, will come your strength.”  - Sigmund Freud

This quote by Dr. Freud represents the beginnings of my clinical thinking that we humans have many strengths that often are uncovered through diversity, struggles, and sometimes at our weakest moments.  I appreciate the psychoanalytic ideas of talking it out, looking for patterns of behavior, and helping individuals find the answers they need within themselves. 

Thankfully, Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, and Karen Horney challenged many of Dr. Freud’s patriarchal-cultural ideas that now seem quite outdated.  These women pioneers created paths for future clinicians, male or female. 

“The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals is a basic component of human nature.”  - John Bowlby

Human attachment has been a great interest of mine, especially the attachment between family members.  The many researchers/clinicians such as John Bowlby, Mary Salter Ainsworth, Dan Siegel, Heather T. Forbes, Bryan Post and many others have provided an understanding of many of our mental health origins through relationships. From this body of research, I believe attachment is the beginning of all relationships including the relationship with oneself.

“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be oneself.” - Montaigne, French Moralist and Essayist

I think we all journey to discover who we are, our purpose, our talents, contributions, worth, and acceptance of our own life, good and bad.  I like Erik Erikson’s work on life-span development.  It has influenced my understanding of the ideal development.  It also helps me to see how many of us may have experienced trauma, paralyzing anxiety, depths of depression that may have caused us to miss or remain stuck on a particular developmental stage.  

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (James-Lange Theory)

Moving on, so many historical and present-day researchers and practitioners have influenced my style about therapy.  When you contact me, I set up a brief consultation call.  This provides the opportunity to dialogue and learn if we would make a good team to help you with a problem.  I’m convinced that therapeutic rapport is key to mental health treatment.  

If we agree to continue, then an appointment is scheduled usually within a 5-10 business-day time frame.  Our first session focuses on welcoming you to therapy and acknowledging the courage for you to be here.  I genuinely want you to feel welcomed and safe in the therapeutic environment whether it is in person or telehealth.  This session and the next will focus on your goals for an enriched life.  We’ll discuss time frame and the best techniques for you.  For instance, you may love to read and to write or you may not.  This information is important in going forward.  I don’t want you to spend time signing forms, so paperwork with consent forms, financial agreement, privacy information and other essentials are sent via a client portal, which is HIPPA compliant for your protection.   

I agree with Dr. Russ Harris, author of numerous books related to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, when he says successful therapy depends on clearly defined treatment goals. That being said, we establish goals for you and move forward to begin your journey to mental health wellness.  

For over 15 years, I’ve met and worked with wonderful people who were determined to have a better life.  Specifically, I have been trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Trauma, Sand-tray therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia.  

My evolved therapeutic skills and thinking lean much more toward Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT (as it is often referred to) which is a set of skills to improve psychological flexibility, actively accepting life’s challenges and living one’s identified values.  ACT method promotes the concept of self and choosing valued behaviors to move a person toward the goals they want to improve their quality of life.  I look forward to the opportunity to meet and work with you to enrich your life.