01.
I see individuals working on issues such as:
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Personal Growth
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Self Esteem
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Life Transitions
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Work/Life Balance
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Feeling Stuck
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Repeated Unhelpful Behavioral Patterns
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Eating Disorders
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Sexual Issues
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Relationship Difficulties
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Parenting Challenges
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Life goal confusion
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Boundaries
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Communication Skills
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Depression
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Anxiety and Fears
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Painful Emotions
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Effects of Trauma (big and small, acute and chronic)
02.
I love working with couples because I love to see the pair go from despair to delight in each other. Couples therapy is for those seeking clear understandings and a solid foundation for their relationship at the outset. It is for couples who are in distress, and it is for those in relationships wondering whether to stay together or go separate ways. We see couples trying to improve their communication, wanting to discuss difficult issues without animosity, and those working to improve their sexual and emotional intimacy. If you are wondering where your love and tenderness went and want to rebuild what originally brought you and your partner together, there is hope. If you are still in a loving and healthy relationship but want to do everything you can to ensure that it remains so for years to come, then you are in the right place.
For couples, we use the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) model. Unlike other types of therapy, EFT is evidence based, meaning it works! It is unparalleled in its effectiveness for healing relationships. Research studies show that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements when working with a therapist trained in EFT. While EFT therapists wished 100 percent of couples reached recovery, the statistics for general couples therapy is grim in comparison. Two years after ending counseling, studies find, 25 percent of couples are worse off than they were when they started, and after four years, up to 38 percent are divorced.
As your EFT therapist, I will strive to help you make your relationships a safe place again. Together we will uncover what unsuccessful patterns of relating you may have learned from your family of origin and other significant relationships in your past, and replace those patterns with new ways of relating that will bring you and your partner the intimacy you are craving. I want you to have the love and intimacy you need as quickly as possible!
03.
Family Therapy
As a new mom to a baby girl, working with families and children holds special meaning for me. I know firsthand the challenges of adjusting to new family roles when a baby arrives, the excitement and pre-marital questions a couple faces when they decide to take the next step, or the complex feelings and healing that is needed when there is loss in the family. Any major change in the family results in shifting roles that often leads to a need to reassess and process relationship dynamics and feelings on a deeper level. There are many times when a family needs help from the outside to see the patterns they have fallen into and to asses which are no longer serving them and their loved ones. It is my job to create a safe environment where all members of the family are heard, creating the space to recast family dynamics and relationships so that healing can begin. **Please see the section on walk and talk therapy focusing on but not limited to new parents who want the benefits of therapy while walking with their little one in their carrier or stroller.
04.
EMDR is an evidence based treatment showing incredibly fast results for healing both individual traumas and complex and ongoing traumas. One study, funded by the HMO, Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) after only six 50-minute sessions. What has been a trauma to you in your life is very personal and individual. The same event can be considered a trauma to one person and barely disturb another person. I am here to help you heal whatever it is that blocks you from your ideal life, small trauma or big trauma.
05.
Art therapy involves healing through the use of various media such as painting, sculpture, collage, drawing, photography and really anything that calls upon your natural creativity and emotions. You do not have to have a background in art to benefit from using art therapy. It is the process of creation that can help you heal through increased awareness of self and others. Creation can help you get your emotions out in the open when words fall short, heal wounds, and increase your coping skills. "Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing," Julia Cameron (author of the Artist’s Way).
06.
Since it's publication in 1992, The Artist's Way by Julia Margaret Cameron has guided millions of people to overcome their blocks and to discover and recover the authentic creativity in their lives and in their work in the world. Are you ready to overcome the limiting beliefs, excuses and fears that inhibit you and your creative process? Are you eager to allow yourself the creative and personal breakthroughs that you know are possible? You’re never too old, too poor, or have too little time to be the artist, painter, sculptor, guitarist, singer, dancer you are truly destined to be. Whether you are a professional artist or new to exploring your creativity, you are welcome at our Artist Way Circle. Together we will nurture your heart, mind, and creativity, wherever you are on your journey. Join our 12 week Artist Way based therapy group! Next course begins Tuesday, April 16th 6-8 pm in my Mission Valley office. Investment is $475 for 12 weeks of two hour sessions. ($40/session). Please contact me with interest by April 5th.
07.
Moms Talk
No one told you how hard parenting would be! This group will address the challenges parents face in our fast-paced lives. Each week participants will be introduced to ways in which we can practice compassion towards ourselves and others, stress management techniques, and self-care. Mindfulness based techniques such as meditation, empathetic listening and breathwork will be introduced to help you increase the joy, peace, and ease with which you interact with your children and other important people in your life. Although you will learn skills aimed at helping you become the best parent you can be, the focus of the group will be on allowing members to process their challenges and getting the support and connection they need. You will benefit from this group regardless of what stage of childhood your kid(s) may be in. Groups will begin and end with short, guided meditations on loving-kindness and mindfulness. Next group begins Thursday, June 27th from 12-1 pm in my Mission Valley office. Investment is $40 per session. Please contact me with interest June 20th.
08.
Walk and Talk Therapy
Feeling like therapy in an indoor office has not worked for you in the past? Not sure that it will work for you in the future? Does your job have you sitting all day at your desk? Is it difficult for you to get out of the house without baby? These are just some of many reasons that walk and talk therapy may be the right fit for you.
What is walk and talk therapy and how might you benefit from it? It is simply transferring the same therapy approaches I use in my office to the outdoors so that you can enjoy the healing aspects of physical movement and nature while engaging in the therapy process. There is growing research that rhythmic exercise, such as walking, can expedite the process of self-discovery and insight, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve overall mood. Clients also state that walk and talk therapy has helped them start or keep up with their active lifestyle goals.You set the pace and we go from there. Park bench breaks are just fine! If you can relate to being stuck on a problem, going over and over it in your mind, and having a breakthrough while out for a walk or run then this is a type of therapy you could benefit from.
Please contact me with any questions you have about walk and talk therapy. Babies are welcome in carriers and strollers.
I do not provide emergency services.
In case of emergency, PLEASE CALL 911, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.