How I work

How are you? No really, how ARE you?

Because I am interested in the real you. The you behind the curtain. You may feel uncomfortable in your life pattern, struggling with intrusive thoughts, difficulty working through trauma, wrangling with ADHD, or even wanting to tear your hair out as a new parent. Or perhaps you wake up in the small hours of the night, wondering: How the heck did I get here?

In the many years of providing therapy, I have seen how many folks have a hidden self, a dream self. A part of ourselves that longs to shine. We have so few places to explore those parts; whether a hidden talent, a life goal, a relationship dream. Life gets busy and we may feel our dreams passing us by too.

Some of us may be grieving dreams that did not turn out as expected, whether an illness, a life plan gone awry, or the unexpected hardship of parenthood. Sometimes, that includes processing grief of what we did not get to experience, such as a loving family, a able body, or having a neurotypical mind. 

I want to help you re-find your balance and joy in life, and that may look like a lot of things! We may get creative - and we may laugh! Our sessions may include talk therapy, processing, and creative problem solving. 

As a somatic therapist, I may ask you to tap into the emotions in your body, help you become aware of subconscious feelings, and even dabble in art or writing to further express yourself. As a mindful earth-based therapist, we may also relax into a meditation, look deeper into your dreams, or even design a little ritual tailored to your needs.

My main goal is to help you build upon your strengths, so that you feel pride and confidence moving through the world. So the real you not only shines, but knows how to ROAR!

I am an eclectic practitioner, in that I may use and provide services from various therapy modalities, including:

• Somatic/Hakomi
• Psychodynamic
• Mindfulness
• Gestalt
• Transpersonal - from an earth-based practitioner framework
• Creative CBT
• Humanistic 

ADHD

I am also an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP).

I work with adults who may have had their diagnosis missed as a child and are currently struggling to determine if they have ADHD, or if they are aware of their diagnosis, how to grapple with their symptoms as an adult. 

Unlike traditional CBT methods for ADHD, I incorporate somatic work in order to help you slow down a generally fast-processing nervous system, help lean into your body and express your emotions and needs more clearly, and to help you learn to tap into your body's 'safe place' more quickly when overwhelmed.

Why Somatic?

New research has shown that our bodies 'remember' and hold trauma in ways we had previously dismissed. The fallout from traumatic events can include the rewiring of brain pathways along with increased feelings of disconnection or disdain for our bodies. 

While somatic methods have exceptional results with trauma, these methods also have a wider application for anyone struggling with their inner experiencing. Over-thinkers whose minds run too fast, or who worry too much, or who struggle to slow down, refocus, or make decisions can deeply benefit from these interventions.

By incorporating our bodies into a therapeutic practice, we are able to more quickly deepen into an old wound, then process and release the hurt from these places. They can also re-inspire and wake up our inner creativity, as we explore your inner self from the perspective of the body, and not just the mind.

Somatic work can directly address these areas in ways that other modalities may take longer to explore. While this does not guarantee rapid healing, it may allow you the opportunity to heal areas of yourself that did not show up verbally in sessions, that your mind was unable to find the words for.