Individual Therapy

 

My clinical specialties

My training experiences as a clinical psychologist have spanned a broad range of treatment settings (inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization) and treatment populations (adults, adolescents, and children). I have worked with many types of people throughout my career: from high-functioning professionals who are experiencing job-related stress, to individuals suffering from chronic and persistent mental illness.

Above all, I specialize in helping people heal “relational trauma.” Folks who have experienced relational trauma struggle in life. They often struggle to feel good about themselves, to feel happy and settled in life, to create and sustain healthy relationships, and really struggle to have satisfying careers. They often feel lost in the world and full of pain. It’s a painful, lonely place to be, oftentimes.

People who have endured relational trauma oftentimes have a childhood marked by emotional misattunement (others not correctly reading and responding to their emotional needs), emotional neglect, emotional or physical abuse, and confusing relationships with others. Typically, those with relational trauma have parents who might have been less warm, more emotionally enmeshed or punitive, or simply too consumed with their own issues or trauma to correctly “attune” to the needs of the child. Sometimes, this trauma results from some major personal or family trauma (e.g., divorce, death, major illness of a family member).

So how does relational trauma affect us in adulthood? This can show up in many ways, some of which include:

  • Difficulty regulating emotions (e.g., feeling constantly overwhelmed by anxiety and fear)

  • Chronic shame and guilt (e.g., constantly beating yourself up)

  • Having rocky, chaotic interpersonal relationships over-and-over

  • Difficulty depending on others (e.g., emotionally)

  • Discomfort with emotional intimacy and problems maintaining healthy relationships

  • Feeling “empty” on the inside and struggling with identity issues

  • Worrying about interpersonal abandonment, rejection, criticism, etc.

  • Excessive need for approval, being overly submissive or suggestible

The research is clear — all hope is not lost if you have experienced relational trauma. Please call me and we can explore whether working together could heal your trauma and help you live a healthier, happier life. would like to offer hope — the mental health field has begun to increasingly appreciate the effect of childhood on adulthood. Therapy can help to heal the pain these experiences have caused, and help you free yourself from unhelpful relational patterns (e.g., repeatedly choosing “unhealthy” relationships, resisting intimacy in relationships, etc).

My approach

My training program and clinical experiences have offered me exposure to many different evidence based therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (“ACT”) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (“CBT”), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (“DBT”), and psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Although my therapeutic style likely feels like a blend of these, I most identify with ACT and psychodynamic psychotherapy that is informed by attachment theory. In less jargon, this means our sessions will exploring how early childhood experiences have affected your sense of self, your relationships, your ability to regulate your emotions, and your overall connection to the world. I strive to help clients re-establish connection with what matters most in their life by helping clients clarify their values and eliminate barriers that are getting in the way of pursuing those values.

Psychodynamic therapy differs from other types of therapy in that it can help you:

  • Focus on emotions and conscious (or unconscious) attempts to dismiss or avoid painful feelings or thoughts, so that emotional relief can be obtained.

  • Identify and focus on repetitive relationship patterns that cause distress and create problems, so that new learning can take place and relationships can be improved.

  • Understand how your early childhood and adolescent experiences have shaped who you are, often releasing you from the childhood pain that may be rearing itself in less-than-helpful ways in your life.

  • Use the therapeutic relationship to practice feeling open, vulnerable, and safe with others, so that you can translate this skill to relationships outside of therapy.


Curious to learn more about psychodynamic therapy? Check out this awesome article

I also place a high value on understanding how individual differences, multicultural concerns, and the intersectionality of identities all play into one’s overall mental health, as well as each person’s sense of identity. A great deal of my training and continued education is geared towards understanding my own power, privilege, and positionality, and how all of these factors affect your work with me. I encourage and welcome these difficult dialogues into our sessions, as unimaginable growth can often emerge on the other side.

Interested in booking a session? Let’s chat. Give me a call or send an e-mail, and we can see if you and I would be a good fit.