I use a psychodynamic lens to help you identify what past and present conditions are determining your choices, what beliefs and assumptions, both conscious and unconscious, have settled into habits of being that no longer serve you.  Together we can explore how old patterns rooted in early attachments are working against you, and then work to change those patterns at a pace that feels right.

I also use cognitive and mindfulness approaches to help you regulate emotions and gain perspective on self-defeating thoughts.  These approaches facilitate the development of an observing consciousness that can witness rather than fully identify with negative thoughts and emotions.  I bring my experience of using mindful self-compassion in my own life to bear on my work, and if you feel comfortable, I can lead you in simple exercises designed to increase tolerance for negative states and promote self-acceptance through compassion.

For those states of mind that are difficult to put into words, I provide sandplay therapy, a tactile, three-dimensional image-based modality that can safely illuminate aspects of self that long to be seen and understood.  By arranging small figures and objects in a shallow sand tray, you can explore with your eyes, hands, and active imagination themes that otherwise elude verbal representation. Sandplay is a proven safe and contained way to process trauma, access unconscious resources, and stimulate healing narratives.

When social-distancing became a reality in 2020 I began to take a more active interest in the possibilities of Ecotherapy as a resource for us all. Ecotherapy situates us squarely in the middle of our natural environment and works from the premise that alienation from that environment contributes to all manner of mental health problems. It posits that focused attention to and immersion in nature works to reorient us from tired, alienated perspectives to radically altered, participatory, and reciprocal engagement with the more-than-human world. Such reorientation can meet grief and/or depression head-on, as well as provide unusual openings for self-discovery. I can provide Ecotherapy perspectives and exercises that you complete alone and bring to our next session.