HUMANISTIC * NEUROSCIENCE * MINDFULNESS * EMDR * ART/PLAY 

Humanistic-Existential Therapy -  This is a key therapy that guides my practice and is at once both a theory and technique.  In most simple terms, the way I define it: being human comes with certain givens, such as needs for freedom, meaning, responsibility, authenticity, security, belonging.  We are wired to experience the many challenges and pains of imbalance in these areas, which life will inevitably incur upon us.  AND we all have capabilities not only to meet the challenges and heal from the pain, but also to actualize our amazing potential for growth and happiness in life - in spite of and often as a result of difficult healing process.  I see a primary role of mine as helping to shine the light on your potential.  Many clients report that one of the most healing aspects of therapy is to be listned to.  I don't just listen.  I deeply listen and reflect.  In doing so, I facilitate your awareness and activation of your unique potential and your ability to shift that which is getting in the way of it.

Neuroscience and Therapy - This is the latest wave in the world of therapy.  The "science" of therapy/psychology was once exclusively based on behavioral outcomes.  But with the amazing information that has been discovered through actual brain research, we are able to have an even deeper, broader understanding of how and why we are who we are and do what we do.  I incorporate neuroscience in my therapy most simply by understanding and, often, educating about  some basic functions of the brain.  By understainding its functions, we are in a much better position to change its more automatic and habitual response patterns that often are no longer serving us.

Mindfulness and Therapy - I consider mindfulness, in many ways, to be the heart and soul of my practice - in my own life and in supporting others' healing process.  Mindfulness can be defined most simply as the state of being aware, staying focused in the present moment.  Of course, in our crazy lives, amidst all the faced paced stimulation, this is not an easy task, and we often find ourselves pulled out of presence, leaving us more vulnerable to our brain's and body's less conscious and less functionally adaptive patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior.  Through conscious practice of remaining in the present moment, we are able to slow down and witness our patterns, allowing us to find a greater sense of calm and insight into the patterns.  This puts us in a much better position to make healthy choices around our thinking, feeling, and behaving, as opposed to simply reacting based on such things as past trauma or fear/anxiety about the future.  While mindfulness practice is often associated with Eastern religions and philosophies, it is now widely accepted here in the West and has been adapted for use in the medical setting such as with mindfulness-based stress reduction programs and cognitive-behavioral therapy, in general. 

Art/Drama/ Play Therapy - Not everything is best expressed in words.  Traditionally, therapy is about talking out what we think and feel.  But at certain times and with certain populations, non-verbal expression can be much more powerful and effective as a means of healing.  This is especially true with children, who naturally communicate differently than we adults do, as the logical/rational part of their brain (pre-frontal lobe) still has much developing to do.  Thus children are more in touch with primal processes of emotion, memory, and instinct, and they express their pain and their needs symbolically through various forms of, often self-directed, creative expression.  Kids can be great role-models for adults in this way, and it is not uncommon for me to suggest non-verbal interventions with adults, as often we are able to access new awarenesses and healing processes, when we can get "out of our head".

EMDR - While there are a number of different techniques available to use when working with trauma, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a technique that has been developing over the last 25+ years, with increasing research to prove its efficacy in working with traumatic experiences.  The basic process of EMDR involves using various techniques (whether visual, auditory, or tactile) to stimulate bi-lateral activity in the brain (back and forth between right and left hemisphere).  This bi-lateral stimulation has been demonstrated to help clients process intense, stuck, and/or traumatic material with less sense of overwhelm, allowing them to move through the difficult material much more quickly than with traditional talk therapy. There are a few key theories as to how and why EMDR is so successful as a form of treatment.  For me, the greatest proof of it's success is in the experience - both my own experiences and in witnessing and hearing of others'. I give a much more thorough explanation of the EMDR process to those that are interested in trying it.

 ...Of course, don't just take my word for it.  If you're curious, google away!  And feel free, always, to ask questions or provide feedback.