THE Therapy EXPERIENCE

 I will work beside you, whether it is individually or with your loved ones, on creating lasting change. In our work together, you’ll have a greater understanding of your raw spots, where they come from & how you can take care of them moving forward.   You’ll know how these raw spots get poked at in your most important relationships & develop the ability to empathically tend to one another in moments of tension & conflict. As you leave each session you will feel one step closer to self-awareness & worth, happy & healthy relationships, allowing you to experience the world as a safe, connected & fulfilling place. 

This is what you may experience in the room: 

Visualize with me.  Imagine feeling warmth, kindness, authenticity, and a secure connection.  The therapist in the room with you has helped you, walked alongside you, and shared tears with you in some of the most difficult moments.  She has held your confidence and provided a space to be open, and honest, a place to identify emotions, and sensations that had gone unnoticed or without voice. She provided a refuge, a haven for you as an individual or for you and your partner or for your family members each held softly, slowly, gently. 

The space has not been without challenges.  On the contrary, it has been one where you have gone deeper than ever before- making the connection to childhood pains and current experiences.  You now recognize cycles in the relationships closest to you.  You can experience your own emotion, naming it. You recognize your vulnerabilities and protections.  You understand the function of your protection and how it influences the interaction with your partner.  If you are in the space with your partner, you also understand the function of their protection and it makes perfect sense. Perfect sense of why you miss each other.  You begin to see yourselves as we, as us, as a unit against the cycle and no longer against one another.  

To learn more about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), please visit: https://iceeft.com/what-is-eft/

  Our brains are constantly trying to organize and process our experiences. When those experiences are overwhelming, painful, or adverse, our brains can make meaning in ways that can cause us distress. The beauty of being human is that our minds and bodies also have the ability to heal from difficult experiences so we can find peace and self-worth. With the use of EMDR, I help you to utilize your resilience, feel empowered, and find your way back to feeling like your authentic self. 

This is what you may experience in the room: 

As you work with your therapist, the intensity of your most painful moments doesn’t disappear but fades silently into the backdrop. Instead of the piercing red flashing light it once was, that unbearable moment of sheer helplessness or terror fades and becomes only a pink silhouette.   The helpless, powerless moments become more and more moments of empowerment and courage.  You can breathe deeply and easily.  You can sleep and nourish yourself.  

The nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and intense sensations no longer disrupt your daily functioning.  You now believe 100% that it is not about what is wrong with you, but it is about what has happened to you.  And those things that happened to you have lost their power. 

To learn more about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, please visit: https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/

If it is medically, physically, and clinically a good fit, this is where the therapist literally and figuratively walks alongside you.  The two of you meet in the briskness of the cool air or in the warmth of the sun and walk a trail.  As you walk along, you are mindful and relaxed. You can take in deep long breaths, release tension, process differently, and discover new insights.  

Walking is not a substitute for the therapeutic models used – rather it is an opportunity to calm, reflect, find perspective, and connect with nature, and with one another in a unique way.  

 "Exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders, and even upticks in empathy and cooperation." -APA 

To learn more about the benefits of nature and walk therapy, please check out: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature#:~:text=From%20a%20stroll%20through%20a,upticks%20in%20empathy%20and%20cooperation