Therapy Services & Supervision
Therapy for Teens, Adults, Couples & Families
Adolescents & Their Parents
Working with this age group is my area of specialty. I focus on it because it is such a critically important & tricky developmental stage and intervening at this time as a therapist can have a profound impact on teens’ ability to successfully launch into adulthood. While adolescents may initially be resistant to the idea of talking to a therapist, in my experience they tend to connect fairly quickly and enjoy the unique relationship they form with the therapist, allowing them to be open about what is going on in their lives and how they’re feeling. In all aspects I seek to meet teens where they are developmentally, including adding online therapy as an option for those who are more comfortable with this route. Adolescence can be an incredibly challenging period of time for parents, who are often unprepared for the changes in their child and unequipped to help their child through this stage. I provide parents with the tools they need to reconnect with their teen as a blossoming, unique young adult and to guide them towards making healthy choices for their future.
Adult Individuals
People come to individual therapy for many, many reasons. Whatever those reasons, my role is provide clarity & understanding within a safe & supportive relationship, while working with each client towards the growth or change they desire. Some of the more common areas I work with include: Depression, Anxiety, Relational Concerns, Life Transitions, Identity Development, Grief & Loss, Parenting, Substance Abuse/Addictions. I work within a variety of theoretical models and collaborate with my clients to determine the best approach to fit their style and needs.
Couples
Couples work can take place at many different stages in a relationship; pre-marital counseling in order to be proactive in addressing important topics prior to marriage, for situational issues such as making a significant decision or parenting challenges, for general growth such as improving communication skills or to increase intimacy, or for more serious concerns such as working through a relational crisis. Each of these are valid reasons to pursue couples therapy. My job with couples is to help them work towards whatever goals they have together, or to help them identify & set those goals, in an environment that is safe, non-judgmental, and objective, giving both partners an equal voice and opportunity to be heard and understood. I incorporate methods from Emotionally-Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method when working with couples.
Families
Why family therapy? Think of it this way: The family is a singular unit. What one person does in the unit affects every other person in the unit. This more holistic approach to treating problems within a family has proven to be extremely effective in many cases. The benefits of family therapy include:
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Bringing the family together after a crisis
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Creating honesty between family members
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Instilling trust in family members
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Developing a supportive family environment
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Reducing sources of tension and stress within the family
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Helping family members forgive each other
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Conflict resolution for family members
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Bringing back family members who have been isolated
Even when there is one individual member who is primarily displaying problematic behaviors, this is often just symptomatic of problems within the family system. Once those systemic problems are effectively addressed, we can expect to see those problematic behaviors diminish or disappear completely.
Trainee/Associate Supervision
Working with students in training is incredibly gratifying. As a clinical supervisor, I assist students in applying the concepts they’ve learned in the classroom to actually working with clients. I guide trainees in their ability to balance their desire to make a difference in their clients’ lives with purposeful and meaningful treatment approaches. The goal is the development of a therapist identity that incorporates each trainees’ unique individual humanness with the necessary therapeutic skills in order to be the best clinician possible.
AAMFT Supervisor Mentoring
I have many years of experience behind me as a supervisor in a variety of settings. The journey to AAMFT Accreditation and CAMFT Certification is lengthy and involves working with a supervisor in “supervision of the supervisor” for a period of time in order to qualify for those designations. I am grateful to be in a position to add to quality MFT supervision by helping other LMFT’s in the process of gaining these titles, as I believe it strengthens the profession as a whole for us to work together to train new therapists in a thoughtful and collaborative manner. My goal in this role is to make this process an enjoyable, meaningful, and productive experience for both new and more experienced supervisors.