Why Counseling?

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To perform at your best amidst the stresses of everyday life, consider the benefits of counseling and mental health support. Participating in therapy can enhance relationship satisfaction and overall life enjoyment while helping to prevent burnout. Through therapy, you can increase your confidence and reduce worry, which in turn can improve your physical health by enhancing your mental resilience. It also assists in developing healthier and more effective patterns of thinking, feeling, communicating, and acting. During significant life changes, having support from a trained and experienced professional can be invaluable. Additionally, discussing sensitive topics can provide much-needed clarity.

Often I am asked if it is okay to pursue therapy from a psychologist for "minor" problems versus mental health conditions.  In a similar vein, people often reveal to me their shame for pursuing therapy. They ask if they "need" therapy and whether receiving therapy means they are "weak." These are all common misconceptions. Descriptors like "need" or "weak" are unfair. Instead, please consider that you are brave for engaging in this work.

I believe people who go to therapy are showing strength in many different ways: 

(1) Commitment to continue to grow in life.

(2) Willingness to change.

(3) Openness to seeing themselves from a different perspective.  

My therapeutic experience, philosophy, and areas of interest make me an excellent match for people who may have concerns about being judged for pursuing therapy when they know their lives are already highly privileged:   ​

• I believe in understanding & striving towards YOUR goals, through a collaborative and empowering counseling style. The therapy focus is on growth rather than pathology so you can learn how to cultivate & build from your strengths and operate more in sync with your values.
• Considering most people's patterns and perceptions are developed out of prior relationships, usually the most effective way to heal/change is through new healthy relationships, such as the psychotherapy relationship I am able to co-develop with you. 
• Two of my clinical supervisors during my doctorate training were the developers of the "Imposter Phenomenon", a condition that affects many highly successful achievers.  
• My training also includes heightened attention to pressures placed on men and women, such as "boys shouldn't have feelings" or "girls shouldn't be assertive or selfish."  With such messages, we often come to believe we exist primarily to provide for/care for others and become disconnected from ourselves. I can help expand your sense of self to counter these common internalized limitations. 
• Many "common" issues such as affairs, divorce, job loss, emptying the nest, and bereavement can take significant time to recover from, sometimes causing people concern about wearing out their support system or the frustration of not receiving more than empty reassurances.  In my work, I strive for a full exploration of one's experiences so your recovery is on your timetable with specific focus on what is most important to you.