Couple Work

My approach is to help a couple better understand past and current difficulties as well as how each individual contributes to their shared experience. Within a couple exists a creative and dynamic space whereby each individual brings unique aspects of themselves that can both challenge or enhance the partnership. Through the couple therapy process, couples are better able to make decisions about where and how they can facilitate deeper, more meaningful connection. Oftentimes, tremendous growth occurs, both as individuals and as a pair.

I also offer targeted, time-limited consultation for parents who may already have a child in individual psychotherapy and would benefit from additional support as they learn to navigate their child and couple needs through the parenting process. Parent work can include navigating co-parenting challenges or blended family integration. During an initial consultation, I will make recommendations regarding a treatment time line and the dynamics and strategies we can expect to address together.

Individual Therapy

When we first meet, we will work together to develop an initial understanding of what you are struggling with, how you have tried to cope with these difficulties, and where you are feeling at an impasse.  We may look together at your life history, cultural and social factors, and important relationships to consider their influence on your personality, identity, and how you think about your experience.  Through this collaborative process, we may also use our relationship as a way to better understand interpersonal dynamics and/or challenges that exist in other areas in your life.   After several sessions, I will share an initial dynamic formulation with you, including if/how further treatment could be helpful to you and what it might entail.  

Child & Adolescent Therapy

Children may first express that they are struggling with something through new, unexpected behavior or even through physical complaints. This may be the child's way of communicating distress or asking for help without having the actual words to do so.  Play is one point of access in understanding a child’s difficulties, much like language is used for adults. Once a child’s difficulties are understood, I will work collaboratively with important adults in their life so that we can all come together to support the child as they learn to put language and understanding to thoughts, feelings, and behavior. The goal is to develop healthy and life-sustaining social-emotional intelligence.  Often, this involves a careful assessment of how the family contributes to the child's growth and development. Work with adolescents is often centered around issues connected to identity, self-expression, and self-awareness.  Keeping in mind important aspects of adolescent brain development, this is an especially critical time to sort out one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors especially where this may be interfering with one's ability to thrive and transition into young adulthood.

Family Therapy

I work with families from a systems and psychodynamic perspective. Together, we may examine aspects of family history, current environmental stressors, or other dynamic and often complicated processes that may be contributing to both group and individual difficulties. Oftentimes, work within a family system leads to lasting change for future generations.