Do you feel misunderstood by the people closest to you, possibly cycling between wanting a deep connection, then pushing people away to feel safe?
Are you realizing there may be a pattern in your relationship that you and your partner can't seem to fix?
Whether you are looking to work on your relationships or overcome trauma, grief, depression, or any change in life, seeking a therapist, or even asking for help, can be overwhelming.
It is okay to ask for help, and sometimes, having an outside perspective can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, so that you can be more present in daily life. I believe that we are capable of overcoming maladaptive beliefs stored in the body by forging a mind-body connection to restore our true authentic selves. If you are looking for a safe space where no one is going to minimize your experience, you have come to the right place. Through a collaborative process, we will work together to help unlock your full potential and overcome a story that is not serving you anymore.
ARE YOU READY TO FIND SOLUTIONS?
Sometimes people come to therapy because they can clearly identify the problem. Other times, they simply know that something doesn't feel right anymore.
You may feel overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, frustrated, or unsure about your next step. Perhaps you're grieving a loss, adjusting to the end of a relationship, questioning your career, recovering from a difficult experience, or realizing that the way you've been coping is no longer working.
I work with individuals experiencing concerns related to trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, substance use, eating disorders, life transitions, and relationships. Therapy can provide a place to make sense of what you're experiencing, better understand yourself, and begin making changes that feel meaningful and sustainable.
You may be wondering why certain situations affect you so deeply, why you continue falling into habits you want to change, or why trusting yourself can feel so difficult. Rather than judging these responses, we can explore where they come from, what purpose they may have served, and what you need now.
The goal isn't simply to identify what is wrong. It's to understand what is happening and discover what can be different.
For couples, the problem may feel less individual and more like something that keeps happening between you. You may still love each other deeply but feel as though you've forgotten how to reach one another.
Conversations may quickly become arguments. One partner may pursue while the other withdraws. Small disagreements may turn into larger conflicts because underneath them are often feelings of hurt, rejection, loneliness, disappointment, or fear.
You may find yourselves wondering:
"Why do we keep having the same fight?"
"Why doesn't my partner understand what I'm trying to say?"
"How did we become so disconnected?"
"Can we get back to the relationship we used to have?"
Whether you are seeking therapy for yourself, your relationship, or your family, our work can focus not only on what is causing distress, but on what you would like your life and relationships to look like moving forward.
THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
My approach to therapy is collaborative, compassionate, and empowering. I don't believe therapy should feel like someone sitting across from you telling you how to live your life or what decisions you should make. You are the expert on your own experiences. My role is to bring clinical knowledge, curiosity, and perspective to help you understand yourself more deeply and develop tools for creating change.
I am naturally warm and empathetic, and building a strong therapeutic relationship is important to me. At the same time, therapy isn't always about being comfortable. Growth sometimes requires looking honestly at beliefs, behaviors, or ways of relating that may be getting in the way. When appropriate, I can be direct and challenge you to consider something from a different perspective while maintaining an environment where you feel respected and supported.
Treatment is tailored to your goals rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
When working with trauma, establishing safety comes first. Before processing difficult experiences, we focus on strengthening your ability to regulate emotions and manage distress so that therapy can move at a pace that feels manageable. I incorporate evidence-based approaches including EMDR and DBT to help clients process experiences, develop coping skills, and reduce the impact that the past may continue to have on the present.
With couples, our focus shifts from determining who is right or wrong to understanding the dynamic that keeps pulling you into conflict or disconnection. We may explore what happens immediately before an argument escalates, what each partner hears beneath the other's words, and what emotions or needs are difficult to communicate directly.
I incorporate Gottman Method interventions to help couples strengthen friendship and appreciation, manage conflict more effectively, and reduce damaging communication patterns such as criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling. I also draw from Imago techniques to help partners listen differently, understand one another's perspectives, and recognize the deeper experiences that may be influencing their reactions.
Because lasting connection involves more than learning better communication skills, our work also focuses on creating greater emotional understanding. When couples begin recognizing the cycle as the problem rather than viewing each other as the problem, they have an opportunity to respond to one another in new ways.
I enjoy working with people of different ages, cultures, identities, professions, and life experiences in individual, couples, and family therapy. My clients come from a variety of different backgrounds from police, military, medical, teachers, and other first responders to creative, financial, and tech industries. I am also an LGBTQI+ ally and strive to provide an inclusive environment where clients can bring their full selves into the therapeutic process.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ME
After having a career in the fitness industry for over ten years, I switched my path from physical therapy to psychotherapy, when I read "The Body Keeps the Score." I received my Master's in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University in Los Angeles, having transferred from Pepperdine to Antioch, in order to benefit from their trauma specialization program. Now, I use my lived experience of overcoming trauma and past struggles with disordered eating to provide a safe space for clients who need true empathic support. My specialized training includes EMDR, Gottman levels 1 and 2, DBT, and I also trained with Dr. Ramani Durvasula, the leading source for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery. Outside of work, my life revolves around my two chiweanies, Nala and Naomi.
Thank you for taking the time to read about me, and I look forward to learning about you! Please call 954-903-1676 or a free, 15-minute phone consultation to see if we’ll be a good fit to work together. I look forward to talking to you!