I believe the therapeutic relationship is a collaborative process in which the therapist and client work together to bring about positive change and growth. Together we will identify your personal inner resources of strength, creativity, insight, and healing. I'm dedicated to creating a safe environment for you to expand your awareness and navigate the ebbs & flows of your life. Therapy allows you to rewire your brain to create positive changes in your life, gain tools to create healthy relationship with your inner dialogue & with your body. You already have everything you need within to be whole, healthy and happy. As a therapist, I serve as your guide, helping you discover the unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors that maintain suffering. Our work together will allow you to cultivate compassion for yourself and others in your life. During our time together we will focus on your goals for therapy and explore self-care practices & rituals that you can use to nourish your mind, body, and spirit. I use a combination of techniques and theories in my practice, tailoring the experience for the needs of each individual.
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Exposure Response Prevention |
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the treatment of choice for clients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
The Exposure in ERP refers to exposing yourself to the thoughts, images, objects and situations that make you anxious and/or start your obsessions. While the Response Prevention part of ERP, refers to making a choice not to do a compulsive behavior once the anxiety or obsessions have been “triggered.” All of this is done under the guidance of a therapist at the beginning — though you will eventually learn to do your own ERP exercises to help manage your symptoms. That said, this strategy of purposefully exposing yourself to things that make you anxious may not sound quite right to you. If you have OCD, you have probably tried to confront your obsessions and anxiety many times only to see your anxiety skyrocket. With ERP, the difference is that when you make the choice to confront your anxiety and obsessions you must also make a commitment to not give in and engage in the compulsive behavior. When you don’t do the compulsive behaviors, over time you will actually feel a drop in your anxiety level. This natural drop in anxiety that happens when you stay “exposed” and “prevent” the compulsive “response” is called habituation. |
Cognitive Behavioral |
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and re-framing beliefs and thoughts that lead to negative emotions and behaviors. CBT treats problems and boosts happiness by modifying those dysfunctional thoughts, emotions and behaviors, focusing on solutions that encourage patients to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behavior. It rests on the idea that thoughts and perceptions influence behavior. Feeling distressed, in some cases, may distort one’s perception of reality. CBT aims to identify unhealthy thoughts, assess whether they are an accurate depiction of reality, and if they are not, employ strategies to challenge and overcome them. Evidence has mounted that CBT can benefit numerous conditions, such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and many others. CBT is appropriate for people of all ages.
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Mindfulness |
Mindfulness is the non-judgmental awareness of what is happening in the present. Most of us are operating on automatic pilot, rushing through our days stuck in behavioral patterns motivated by unconscious, self-limiting thoughts. Mindfulness allows us to reclaim and experience the fullness of our lives in the present. Mindfulness techniques include the practice of movement, compassion training, meditation, and breathing exercises.
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