Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy seeks to understand why we do what we do and how our past experiences shape who we are. It seeks to uncover what is buried in our unconscious mind.

When we feel shame, we hide parts of who we are from ourselves and from others. In the therapy world, we call this our “shadow side.” Even though we are unaware of our shadow side, it still operates without our full awareness. This is why we sometimes do things in emotional moments that we later regret. The more unaware we are of what is in our shadow side, the more we will act in ways that feel out of our control. This can hurt relationships with loved ones, impact our professional relationships, and even impact our ability to work effectively. Psychodynamic work helps us to get in touch with our shadow, lifting what is unconscious to the conscious mind. When we do this, not only can we live intentional, rather than reactionary, lives, but we may discover strengths that we have repressed into our shadow sides that can actually help us to be more creative, more resilient, and more loving people.

Relational Therapy

Relational Therapy is founded on the belief that social relationships play a crucial role in emotional wellbeing. It seeks to develop relational awareness. How do we relate to others? What roles do we naturally fall into? How do we set (or not set) boundaries? In what ways do we unconsciously push others away? In relational therapy, we identify patterns in your relationships, identify your relational needs, and discover how you can authentically connect with others.

A key component of relational therapy is the relational dynamic between the therapist and the client. It uses the client-therapist relationship as a way to understand other relationship dynamics, and it serves as a model for a secure and healthy relationship. At some points in our work, we may speak directly about our relationship to learn about how you relate and gain insight into how the therapeutic relationship informs your relationships with others.

Somatic Therapy

I strongly believe in the mind-body connection. In somatic therapy, we pay attention to the way our bodies hold suffering, react to emotions, and serve as a resource to help us.

Often times, our bodies know how we feel before we become consciously aware of our feelings. Our bodies communicate to us what our needs are. Therefore, it is important to learn how to be attuned to our bodies so we can recognize the messages it sends. In my healing work, I not only work with what is going on in the mind, but also in the body. There may be times that I will ask you what you are feeling in your body or incorporate exercises that utilize your body for grounding, regulation, or self-awareness. I never make my clients do anything they are uncomfortable with, so please know that if you prefer not to engage with your body, I respect that.

Existential Therapy

Existential therapy is built on the foundational belief that people experience suffering when they face existential anxiety about the inevitabilities of human existence. Through exploring a client’s values, we work to construct meaning and purpose as a way to deal with existential anxiety. 

I believe that an existential examination of life is important for individuals who want to make the most out of life because it is necessary to grapple with the difficult realities of human existence in order to know how to face and deal with reality in a healthy and meaningful way. Additionally, it is impossible to set goals in line with who you truly are when you are not consciously aware of your values. Through self reflection, philosophical exploration, and expansion of awareness and acceptance of the human condition, my clients are able to get in touch with their most important values and find clarity on their purpose in life.