Areas of Focus

ANXIETY

Fear and anxiety are expected and natural responses that come up in the course of living one’s life. They can serve to keep us safe and often reflect meaningful values. Without an internal warning system, i.e. the amygdala, our cave dwelling forebears would have never survived the natural perils of stone-age life.

Fear and anxiety are completely normal feelings, but left unchecked and in excess, they can tip into an anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or trauma/stressor-related disorder. In an anxiety-related disorder, your fear or worry does not go away and can get worse over time. It can begin to influence your life and interfere with daily activities like school, work and/or relationships.

A helpful approach to distinguishing normal anxiety from an anxiety disorder is to identify the cause of the anxiety, and then assess whether the anxiety symptoms are a proportional response to it. Worries, fears, and intrusive thoughts that are extreme, unrealistic, or exaggerated and interfere with normal life and functioning can constitute an anxiety disorder. For instance, being concerned about getting sick and taking steps to avoid germs, like using hand sanitizer and avoiding touching door handles, does not necessarily constitute an anxiety disorder; however, if the concern about sickness makes it difficult to leave the house, then it is possible you suffer from an anxiety or anxiety-related disorder.

With the right treatment, anxiety disorders often have a great prognosis. Starting with a proper assessment and diagnosis is essential. From there, I use a combination of psychoeducation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to treat all anxiety-related disorders. I love working with anxiety because with treatment most people get better!

DEPRESSION

Most people will experience a period of depression at some point in life. Grief, loss of a job, divorce, illness, or other stressors can lead to feelings of sadness, worry, frustration and loneliness. These are normal reactions to difficult life situations. Some people, however, experience these feelings daily and without a known stressor. Symptoms can include: a persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood; feelings of guilt or worthlessness; loss of interest or pleasure in activities or hobbies; difficulty with concentration; irritability; excessive worry; and/or sleep disturbance.

In individual therapy, I develop a treatment plan geared toward reducing your symptoms of depression and together we focus on what lifestyle changes, areas of social support or stress-reduction techniques may help. Similar to my approach with anxiety-related disorders (see above), I focus on addressing what thought patterns or deeply held beliefs may be contributing to the depression. I may also incorporate EMDR on stuck or enduring beliefs, and ACT to help make room for the uncomfortable feelings. In some instances, I may also provide a referral to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation.

LIFE TRANSITIONS

Life naturally consists of (many) transitions, both major and minor, which can sometimes lead to unexpected periods of distress. Therapy can be an essential tool during bumpy or difficult transitions. By exploring obstacles or conflicted feelings that may stand in your way, individual therapy can provide understanding and offer strategies to help you better cope with transition and improve overall quality of life. My goal in therapy is to help you to effectively ride the wave of change, and potentially come out the other end with greater confidence and resilience for your next life transition!

Major life transitions can include: marriage or a new romantic relationship, loss of a loved one (including a beloved pet), graduations, adoption or birth of a child, separation or divorce, losing a job or starting a new job, cancer or other major medical diagnosis, and retirement.

TRAUMA

As an EMDR trained therapist, I work with individuals affected by a wide range of traumatic life experiences. Trauma can insidiously affect our quality of life, including symptoms of sleep disturbance, feelings of guilt, shame, flashbacks, avoidance, depression, anxiety, isolation, panic, and problems in relationships or with job performance. Childhood abuse can also contribute to ongoing symptoms of trauma, manifesting as a “complex PTSD”.

Our brains process differently in the face of trauma. Images and feelings are stored in a raw, unprocessed form, without a proper time and date stamp. In it’s unprocessed form, trauma can be reactivated and made to feel like a real and present danger. EMDR helps to re-process and integrate traumatic memories into a coherent narrative that is understood to be in the past.

A combination of talk therapy and EMDR can help to resolve issues and symptoms stemming from single incident trauma and/or ongoing abuse from childhood.

CANCER

Hearing “you have cancer” can be among the most difficult moments in a person’s life. Understanding a new medical diagnosis can feel overwhelming and potentially devastating. I have provided individual and group treatment to those affected by a serious or life-threatening medical diagnosis since working in the HIV/AIDS community in the early 1990’s. My treatment approach offers an opportunity to process and make sense of a new diagnosis or a medical challenge and make the path forward feel more manageable.

RELATIONSHIP ISSUES

We all experience conflict in relationships, whether it’s a personal relationship or a professional one. In the midst of conflict it can often be hard to identify how we are feeling or what we need in that moment. Therapy can help you to understand the different factors or interpersonal dynamics that might be contributing to relationship conflict and offer tools and strategies to promote healthier and more assertive ways of communicating.