If you’re like a lot of us, you might have been putting off coming to therapy for some time. Maybe a recent life event— a breakup, new job, or a surgery— has overwhelmed your usual coping strategies. Maybe you’ve received a new diagnosis & your experience of the world is changing. Or maybe you feel like you’re doing just fine— but the people around you would like you to be more sensitive or emotionally expressive. Maybe none of this applies to you. Whatever your reasons for checking out this page, I’m glad you’re here.
Asking for support can be scary & difficult (believe me, I speak from experience here). For some people, receiving empathy & kindness from another person can feel deeply uncomfortable, even unsafe.
The strategies we develop to survive & to protect ourselves often interfere with our ability to be vulnerable in the way that healing requires. What we long for the most — understanding, connection with others, a place in the world— can seem the farthest out of reach. The pain of opening up to another and not being heard — or worse, having what you share be used against you in some way— is hard to bear, & most of us don’t want to risk experiencing that, especially when we’re already suffering.
As with many things, though, no risk means no reward. In order to live a life that is truly of our own choosing (to the extent that’s possible for any human being), we need to overcome our resistance to unpacking the hurt we carry. The good news is we don’t have to do that alone.
There’s no way around it: growth requires leaving your comfort zone. I believe that therapy is about more than just receiving validation, and I will gently push you to explore avenues you might not go down on your own. When it’s appropriate, I will tell you what I believe you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. However, I will only do this after we’ve taken the time to establish a relationship based on trust, respect, and genuineness. Collaboration is key to the therapeutic process. We will procced at your pace, and everything we do will be in the service of your goals.