How I Work

I believe our thoughts affect our experience of life.  There is no separation between our mind and body; as one goes, goes the other.  When we allow intention and acceptance to guide our mind our body listens and responds.  When we change our behavior our emotions will often change as well. Our entire experience of life changes when we become more conscious. When we become more conscious synchronicity enters our life and our path becomes more effortless and peaceful.

Following are the various methods I incorporate into the therapy:

Conventional and Alternative therapies:

  • Spiritual Psychology: This school of thought integrates the spiritual and more transcendent attributes of the individual.  Through mindfulness meditation and reflection, one learns to develop consciousness. Becoming a more conscious individual may lead to a more enlightened state and to a greater sense of self, synchronicity and a greater spiritual connection.  When one begins to connect with their Spirit or Higher Self, symptoms of depression, loneliness, addictions and loss of meaning, begin to lift.  There is a greater sense of purpose and joy.  This is not a religious practice. This is a quiet, unique and individual practice that affects change in a deeper, more profound manner.  This practice is the foundation of my work.
  • Mindfulness based cognitive behavioral therapy (MBCT): MBCT is a cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness at the heart of the model. This approach helps patients understand how their thoughts and feelings influence behavior.  The cognitive piece along with mindfulness helps reduce stress and anxiety while learning to identify disturbing or destructive thought patterns.
  • Psychodynamic: Dynamic therapy is deep work and is often described as ‘talk therapy’. This supportive approach helps the patient understand underlying unconscious issues that affect present life.  I specifically pull from the Jungian and relational models.  This approach relieves pain and suffering and liberates and empowers the individual.
  • Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): DBT is a process that combines CBT with more eastern philosophies such as mindfulness. There are four modules that are learned: mindfulness, interpersonal, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Although this therapy was originally used to treat borderline personality disorder, there is widespread use for conditions such as, eating disorders, addictive behaviors, bipolar disorder and self-harming impulses.
  • Internal family system (IFS): This model acknowledges the different parts of an individual and the need to “make peace” with the family within.  Often these parts are created from the deep pain in our life and can lead to maladaptive behaviors, depression, suicidality, anxiety and low self-esteem.  When we bring our core self to the head of the table and acknowledge and listen to all of our parts we create harmony in our life.
  • Emotionally focused therapy (EFT): A particularly effective couples counseling model, it helps partners overcome and recognize negative patterns. When we learn to interrupt the negative dynamic we are able to build strong bonds of trust and intimacy. EFT helps us identify the emotional distress that keeps us separate and alone.
  • Hypnosis: When a patient is in a state of deep relaxation the hypnotherapist is able to help unlock unconscious issues that affect behavior and relationships. This is an extremely effective tool in reducing stress and increasing self-esteem.  It also allows for suggestions made by the hypnotherapist to create lasting change. When issues are brought to the conscious mind much healing takes place.
  • Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR): The body responds to stress and anxiety with muscle tension and emotional fatigue. This relaxation skill helps reduce the tension in the body and relieves mental and physical anxiety.  It is an effective tool for anxiety, agitated depression, physical distress and helps with sleep disorders.
  • Energy Psychology/Tapping: This technique ‘taps’ into the meridians of the body. This healing practice has been a part of Eastern medicine for over 5,000 years.  Tapping restores the body’s energy in a similar way as acupuncture.  This technique restores energy and balance.  It provides relief from PTSD, emotional distress, addictions, anxiety and some diseases.