My approach to therapy is to empower clients to tap into their own strengths and resources to make the necessary changes in their lives. This includes finding solutions to problems, creating paths in life to achieve realistic goals, changing behaviors that have led to negative outcomes, and gaining the strength to accept things that cannot be changed. In all cases, the result is relief from the negative symptoms the client is experiencing and improved quality of life.
As a therapist, I believe in customizing the treatment plan that will best suit each client according to the issues they present. In many cases, I combine traditional techniques with Mindfulness-based treatment. I am also trained to work with clients who wish to incorporate their spiritual orientation in their treatment.
I treat a variety of issues including:
Depression and Anxiety
Life Cycle Events
Stress Management
Aging and Retirement
Grief
Caretaking a loved one
Relationship Counseling . . .
How do you know if your marriage or relationship is in trouble? Do you feel unappreciated? Do the habits that once you found endearing now grate on your nerves? Are you saying things to each other in anger that you later regret? Do you feel angry, sad, worried, tense or defeated? These are just some of the signs of a relationship in distress.
Don't wait to get professional help! Many couples don't know where to get help and just wait and hope their marriage troubles will get better by themselves. Often however, ignoring the problems make them worse and can lead to psychological problems like depression or inappropriate behavior, such as having an affair.
Couples counseling can be preventive. You don't need a troubled relationship to seek counseling. Extensive research by Harville Hendricks, author of "Getting the Love You Want" and many other books on relationships, found that happy couples are those who know how to handle their disagreements based on a foundation of friendship and affection. Learning effective communication and how to use it for solving problems in your marriage can help you maintain the friendship and affection, and resolve issues that might otherwise threaten your relationship.
Couples counseling can help you learn to:
* Listen effectively and empathetically * Clearly express your needs in a way that you feel you're really being heard * Understand your partner's "love language" * Fight fairly * Nurture your relationship * Help each other through stressful life changes
Parenting Issues . . .
Parenting is one of the most divisive issues for couples that have children. Parents tend to parent the way they were parented or in reaction to the way they were parented. Rarely do couples discuss their child rearing beliefs prior to having children or make an effective parenting plan for themselves as a couple. When differences arise, couples often find themselves in conflicts that impact their relationship as a whole.
Helping parents learn to work together to develop a consistent parenting plan they can both support is my top priority. By utilizing choices, limits and follow through, parents work as a team to help the family.