MY APPROACH

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Many people come to therapy because they feel stuck.​  They may find themselves caught in the same relationship patterns, overwhelmed by anxiety, struggling with self-criticism, feeling disconnected from themselves, or reacting in ways that don't fully make sense.​  Often, these patterns persist even when we understand them intellectually.

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You may know why you react the way you do. You may have read books, listened to podcasts, or spent years trying to think your way through the problem. Yet something continues to pull you back into the same emotional experiences.  I believe this happens because many of our struggles are not simply problems of thinking. They are patterns that live within our emotions, relationships, body, and nervous system.

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Understanding the Different Parts of Ourselves

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One of the ideas that often helps people make sense of their experience is recognizing that we are not always of one mind.

 

• Part of you may want closeness, while another part pulls away.

• Part of you may want to rest, while another part pushes you to keep going.

• Part of you may know you are good enough, while another part remains deeply self-critical.

 

Rather than viewing these experiences as signs that something is wrong, I see them as different aspects of ourselves trying to help in the best way they know how.  Many of these protective patterns developed for good reasons. They may have helped us cope with difficult experiences, avoid emotional pain, maintain relationships, or get through challenging periods in life. The problem is not that these patterns exist. The problem is that they can become rigid and continue operating long after they are needed.

 

Going Beyond Insight

 

Understanding a pattern is often an important first step, but insight alone is rarely enough.  Real change usually happens when we begin to experience ourselves differently.  In our work together, we slow down and pay attention to what is happening beneath the surface. Rather than talking only about problems, we become curious about how they are unfolding in the present moment.

 

This may include:

• emotions that are difficult to access or express

• recurring relationship patterns

• internal conflicts and competing needs

• body sensations and nervous system responses

• protective reactions such as overthinking, withdrawal, people-pleasing, perfectionism, anger, or self-criticism

 

As we stay with these experiences in a safe and supportive way, new understanding often emerges naturally. Experiences that once felt overwhelming become easier to stay connected to. Reactions that once felt automatic become more understandable. Greater choice and flexibility become possible.

 

Working with the Body and Nervous System

 

Many important experiences are held not only in our thoughts, but also in our bodies.  Sometimes we notice this as tension in the chest, a tight throat, a knot in the stomach, a sense of collapse, restlessness, numbness, or a feeling that something important is present but difficult to put into words.

 

Rather than immediately analyzing these experiences, we may slow down and become curious about them. Often the body reveals important information that has not yet fully reached conscious awareness.  This allows us to work not only with what we know, but also with what we are beginning to discover.

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What Therapy Feels Like

 

Clients often describe my style as collaborative, curious, and non-judgmental.  I do not believe in forcing change or pushing people toward predetermined conclusions. Instead, I work to create a space where deeper understanding can emerge and where new experiences of self become possible.

 

At times we may explore emotional patterns, relationship dynamics, attachment experiences, or different parts of yourself that seem to be in conflict. At other times we may focus on what is happening in your body and nervous system in the present moment.  Throughout the process, my goal is to help you develop a clearer, more compassionate relationship with yourself.

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After each session, I offer a brief written summary of what we explored together. These summaries can help you hold onto important insights, notice patterns that emerged, and continue reflecting between sessions. Many clients find them grounding, clarifying, and helpful for remembering the deeper emotional threads of the work after the session ends.

 

The Goal

 

My goal is not simply to help you manage symptoms.

 

It is to help you understand yourself more deeply, feel more connected to your emotions and needs, develop greater freedom from old patterns, and create the conditions for lasting change.  Over time, many people find that they become less controlled by automatic reactions, more able to respond intentionally, and more connected to the person they want to be.