Grief and loss take on many forms and can impact a person’s sense of self or identity as well as your self-esteem. You might be struggling with the loss of a family member, a pet or the loss of a relationship to separation or divorce. For some, this experience may even lead to contemplating your own mortality or questioning the meaning of life. Depending on the form your loss takes, we can develop a plan of action to help you move through the powerful emotions you are experiencing. Sometimes, that means taking time to grieve, in whatever form that takes—crying, feeling angry, remembering, etc.
Grief is a natural response to loss and it can be an incredibly isolating experience. It can feel like no one knows the right thing to say and that your pain will never end. Often those who are grieving feel like they are a burden to others when they feel the need to reach out. The problem is by not sharing or talking to someone you trust, grief may be difficult to move through. Unfortunately, there is no way around grief; one has to go through it. By allowing yourself the space to grieve, it’s possible to find a way to live with the loss of your loved one and to be able to experience the joys of life that may feel forever gone.
If you’re wondering how you are going to face tomorrow, cope with shattered dreams, or feel like you can’t do this on your own, you are not alone. There’s no “normal” timetable & typically no right or wrong way to grieve. Whether your loss occurred recently or long ago, you deserve space for processing and honoring your grief. I'm here to help.
Life Transitions
Change and transition in life are inevitable. Common transitions include going to or graduating from College, starting a new job, moving to a new community, becoming a parent or having your children grow up and leave your home. Part of our progression through the life cycle involves periods of significant change. Transitions represent moments in our lives in which we step out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. Sometimes we take these steps with excitement, hope and a sense of adventure. In other moments we may find ourselves overwhelmed, paralyzed by fear, plagued with doubt or stressed by the possibility of change.
In these moments we often find ourselves “frozen” and unable to take the next step even when we logically know it is a healthy choice. We stand at the edge of the cliff wondering how we are supposed to take the next step when we can’t see a net below. As the negative beliefs persist and perpetuate in our thoughts we experience feelings of anxiety, apprehension and fear.
I believe that we all have the capacity to transform our lives. I work to provide direction to empower you to withstand any of life’s stressors and transitions and I’d love to help you overcome the waves you are currently facing.
When life loses its color, you don't feel like doing anything or seeing anyone, and normal daily tasks start to feel impossibly overwhelming, you may be struggling with depression; depression can feel like a dark cloud hanging over you all the time. You may feel tired, isolated, apathetic, or just generally blue. You may find yourself not enjoying the things that you used to enjoy. You spend more time crying than you used to. Thoughts of suicide and self-harm may come up as ways to escape or cope with the pain you are dealing with. All of us experience feelings of depression at times, but if you are experiencing intense sadness that is lasts for longer than you like, it may be time to reach out for support.
Because depression is largely caused by isolation, I will work with you to first identify behaviors you would like to be engaged in (the things you miss doing) and then help you practice getting involved in those behaviors. The more connections you have and the more activities you do, the less depressed you will feel. Once you start feeling more engaged in life, my next step would be to help you understand why the feelings of depression started to begin with and to identify the triggers that could cause you to feel like you are relapsing into those feelings. Once we identify those triggers, we will brainstorm together strategies to help increase feelings of happiness or contentment in your life.
I will help you readjust your thinking so the burden doesn’t feel so heavy and you regain the energy and hope to be willing to take baby steps towards enjoying life again. At times, medication may be suggested and I can help refer you to a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner who can assist with that piece.
Anxiety
Anxiety, while a normal and healthy response to stress, can, when left to its most extreme forms, become immobilizing and distressing. Some common ways anxiety is described to often present itself is through racing thoughts, perfectionism, difficulty sleeping, irritability, irrational fears, and physical pain. Sometimes anxiety can show up as feelings of not being good enough, feeling ashamed and spiraling into deeper self-judgement.
You might have been able to push forward and keep all these struggles behind the scenes for a while, but it's taken its toll. The negative thoughts and emotions feel out of control; they're keeping you from feeling okay in your work, relationships, and ability to enjoy things that you used to. You've realized it's time to slow down and truly take care of yourself. Finding relief is possible.
We can reverse this downward spiral together! In our work together, we'll create a personalized roadmap that will help you more effectively access your own wisdom so you can give yourself the same kindness and motivation you give to others. I'll help you gain the tools you need to set healthier boundaries in relationships, with work/productivity, and with your own inner critic.
The struggle to find balance, inner peace, and fulfillment is real. It’s not easy being a woman in the modern world, so you are definitely not alone in finding all of this hard to manage! There are many issues women may face throughout their lifespan, and while each woman is different, and may struggle with varying issues, the most common include:
- depression
- anxiety
- discrimination
- self-esteem
- chronic stress
- fatigue
- hormonal/reproductive changes (pregnancy, postpartum, menopause)
- infertility/pregnancy loss
- adjustment to medical diagnosis (e.g., breast cancer)
Additionally, many of us feel confused, overwhelmed, insecure, lost, or stuck.
You don't have to suffer or figure this out on your own. I am passionate about helping women like you heal, grow, get unstuck and move forward.
Adolescence can be confusing for both parents and teens. It’s a period where teens seek independence and autonomy, but also still require parental guidance and boundaries. Combine this with hormonal changes and typical stressors, teens may often appear withdrawn and moody. They may also be more argumentative and have a change in attitude that wasn’t characteristic of their younger selves. This is normal, albeit challenging, and can sometimes mimic depression and anxiety.
So, how do you know when a teen is just being a “teen” or something more is going on than just “growing pains?” Often there are signs that point to changes in behavior and mood or something is noticeably different.
Some of these include:
- A drop in grades/problems at school
- Physical changes such as appearing worn down and tired
- Less time spent with friends/family and more time isolating
- Difficulty sleeping
- An increase in angry outbursts
If you notice your teen seems to be struggling, talking with a therapist may help. They may be overwhelmed and need a place where they feel supported so they can sort out their feelings and find ways to create change. Adolescents often strive to be heard, and do not always have environments that facilitate that. Adolescents can benefit from learning what triggers them and how to put coping skills into practice when they feel triggered.
Whether it be for symptoms of depression, anxiety, or any problem that they experience, I find adolescents to be highly motivated and eager to do the work if they are matched with the right therapist. Interestingly, more often than not, teens tend to want to do what they need in order to feel better. Often it requires a space they feel supported in, free to talk without fear of judgment. This breeds a motivation to confront what’s bothering them and make change.
Some of the benefits teen therapy may provide are:
- Improved self-esteem and confidence
- Feeling less depressed or anxious
- Improved coping skills to manage anger, anxiety and stress
- Improved communication skills
- Reduction/Elimination of self-destructive behaviors
- Improved relationships with parents and peers
- Feeling better and happier overall
I feel honored when parents trust me to help mold their adolescents in a way that can benefit them for the rest of their life. I advocate for every adolescent to participate in therapy at some point before they enter adulthood.
I provide therapy for couples who wish to make positive and lasting changes in their relationships. I offer safe, compassionate and supportive counseling that allows each person to be heard and validated. Healing can happen in therapy, even for couples who are dealing with hurts, betrayals, lost connections, or other relationship issues. It brings me great joy to be invited into your most intimate relationships, to learn about the history that you each bring to the relationship, and how you find a way to sync two lives into one. I have worked with couples of all orientations and types.
Relationships are the building blocks of our lives. And like anything important in life, they require thoughtful attention, dedication and work. Each person brings their own ideas, values, opinions and personal history into a relationship, and they don’t always match their partner’s. Many couples do not anticipate the challenges that can occur in dealing with in-laws, finances, family traditions, parenting styles, careers choices, difficulty with childrearing and fertility and more.
Do you want to find the person you fell in love with, but doesn’t seem to be there anymore? Do you feel more and more distant from your partner each time you continue to argue about the same old things without any change?
Often what starts as a small, irritating wedge between two people in love can grow into a chasm that can make us feel unheard, invalidated, unappreciated—and utterly alone. If you find yourselves getting triggered during the moments when you need each other the most, then a highly effective couple therapy offers hope. My advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy gives us a new way of understanding your unique dance of disconnection. Research studies find that by using EFT, 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements. In EFT, couples learn to identify their needs and fears that keep them apart. We work to identify the negative cycle that traps couples again and again and causes disconnection and isolation.
In our sessions, you can expect to defuse the conflicts as we begin to understand what drives them. You may begin to see your conflict in terms of failed attempts to connect. You will learn to turn to your partner and say what you need in a way that invites connection. In our work together, couples develop new skills to repair the ruptures and find their way back to that secure, in-love, “heart to heart” connection.
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person,” wrote American writer Mignon McLaughlin.
If you want to revitalize your love relationship, if you long to feel connected again, contact me and let’s get started.