Styles
Subtle Depth Analytical Work (Psychodynamic Therapy)
This work is based on Intersubjective Analysis which is a progressive
offshoot of Self Psychology. The approach comes out of a beautiful
empathic understanding of everything we are dealing with in our lives
and within ourselves. Every behavior, feeling and thought makes sense
in the context of our life now and the past. This means that we can
learn to understand ourselves in a whole new way without judgment and
self-criticism. Once we have greater understanding of who we are and
how we actually function then we are free to mature into more flexible
people.
Empathy leads to an understanding from the inside which is very different from the critical judgment coming from the outside. Often we adopt this outside view and end up feeling bad about ourselves. This is not conducive to a joyous and confident life. Through empathy the therapist serves to
help access and find words for your inner states that describe your reality. You begin to see how these states influence your perceptions. The states that are troublesome are the ones that are cut off or immature. One way they form is through lack of validation from people who matter since then you may start to doubt yourself. Confused by doubt you push your self aside and those parts of you that aren't allowed expression fail to mature. These parts can cause a lot of trouble through symptoms or
disturbances of some sort. When these immature aspects are
understood, they mature and integrate and often symptoms just
drop away and you feel better.
During 7 years of personal analysis I developed empathy
and sensitivity toward these subtle inner states.
Practical Solution Oriented Therapy
A component of therapy is straightforward solving of issues. Coming up
with better ways of doing things, time management, prioritizing,
de-cluttering your mind and life, improving relationships with your
partner, children, friends, family or at your workplace. Clarifying
what you want, defining your values, seeing how your life would improve by spending time on things that matter, how to deal
with those issues that have been put aside for too long, and how to
simplify and enrichen your existence overall through making some
practical changes.
iRest (Integrative Restoration)
I am a certified iRest Teacher. Integrative Restoration is a deep relaxation Yoga coming from the tradition of Yoga Nidra.
iRest is a modern word coined by Dr Richard Miller, Yoga teacher and
Psychologist who is the founder of the Center of Timeless Being. I
have studied and trained with him for over 10 years. iRest is a relaxation technique and offers a
practical way to be in ones daily life. The relaxation that one learns to experience during iRest
is more rejuvenating than sleep itself. It teaches stress reduction, may help with sleep disturbances and clears ones mind. Over time a person
starts to see their habitual ways of getting hooked into anxieties and
worries and starts to recognize the "stories" that are attached to the
hook. As relaxation is strengthened, the negative habits weaken and are
replaced by healthier ways. Already small shifts can affect the quality
of ones daily life. It is worth having each day be a day where you feel
more alive, more at ease, more joyful. iRest is also being used in Post Traumatic Stress relief.
Yoga Nidra
underlies iRest. It provides a very sophisticated map of the mind and how it functions. It
is a beautiful psychology. It offers a way to orient oneself as one
progresses through life. Often people have profound experiences that don't make sense in the context of ordinary life. These experiences are usually negatively interpreted and sometimes the person even feels a little crazy simply because they don't know what these unfamiliar states are. Through gaining an understanding of psycho-spiritual development one can welcome these experiences.
Dream Tending
Dream
Tending is an approach taught by Dr Stephen Aizenstadt at Pacifica
Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, CA. I attended his 6 month training. Dream Tending is creative and relational. The dreamer relates to dream images instead of
analyzing them. This can result in surprising insights and new understandings. Dream work is only for those who are interested and is not an essential
component of therapy.
The People Who Would Come To Me
Individuals
Individuals who are wishing to understand themselves better. Men and Women
struggling with emptiness, confusion, anger, helplessness, depression,
anxiety…Women and men who would like to have better relationships, would like to be happier and would like to feel more like themselves as they live each day.
Marriage Partners and Committed Couples
Therapy
provides safe and supportive learning about quality relationship. Relationships are challenging and come with ever-recurring
patterns, predictable arguments, needs that aren't
met, hurts that create distance, times of hopelessness, the deep desire
to be happy together and the mind boggling frustration that that is so
hard to create. Having difficulties in relationships is normal but there are things a couple can learn in order to feel closer.
My work is based on increasing empathy in the couple and on the
research findings by Dr. John Gottman who is a renowned marriage research expert. His research shows which qualities support and
which undermine a relationship. Luckily most of this can be learned
quite easily and applied to the way a couple relates. Both people in the couple grow and mature.
I also offer Sex Therapy. You may discover that your
difficulties are quite common and that there is nothing defective about
you or wrong about your experiences. Sex is tied to complex
relationship dynamics and is often influenced by circumstances. We will
explore what you want and what it might take to get there. My work is influenced by Dr. David Schnarch who is a leading sex therapist and author of several books.
Pregnant and Postpartum Women
We explore the
ups and downs of becoming and being a mother. I offer individual work for
women who are pregnant and also an opportunity to be in a group with
other pregnant women. Pregnancy is a time to figure out as much as
possible about yourself, your relationships and circumstances because
your life is about to change in a wonderful and often challenging way.
I also want to offer a group for pregnant women and their mothers since
that is a complex relationship about to become even more so. (see group
descriptions on this website)
Women sometimes don't feel about their babies the way they expected. Often this is complicated by a sense of inadequacy or guilt. Postpartum work addresses the depression, anxiety and confusion that can haunt a new mother.
Teens
All
of the above described ways of working apply to teens. In addition
teens are provided with art materials including paints, color pencils,
pastels, clay, sand and images. They can choose if they want to use any
as we explore the various things going on in their life. We also use
literature and other media to access that which is meaningful. Parents
are involved in the therapy process as needed. Usually their child has
to have a sense of privacy to benefit. The terms of the therapy
relationship between all the involved family members is defined clearly
in the beginning.
Groups
Small groups
are developing according to interest expressed. At this time groups
offered are (see other pages on website for details)
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