I work with individuals, families and couples. Every person brings into his or her relationships their past experiences, traumas, coping skills and their unique communication and conflict resolution styles. I believe emotional maturity and freedom can be achieved by refusing to allow our past to define who we are today, by directing our energy, thoughts and emotions to the present, and practice being mindful and aware and experience life fully in the moment, rather than reacting to the moment based on the past experiences.
My sessions often include Mindfulness and use of self-awareness in the here and now. When we recognize our dysfunctional patterns of behavior and interactions, we can make changes and embrace new ways of functioning and resolving problems.
We all have our unique language for communicating. Regardless of our differences, the one factor that can make or break any relationship is presence or lack of effective communication. I utilize “Systemic Approach”, which simply means, with your help I will examine your family of origin, help you identify dysfunctional patterns, “definitions and values” learned in the system and eventually make changes that accommodate a more fulfilling and functioning life.
There is no single proven method of therapy – no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment, because no one person is like the other. The primary goal of treatment ultimately is to make positive changes, make better choices, have more optimistic perspectives, have better coping mechanism and learn to be more assertive and have healthy boundaries and create more connections and have a fluid approach to life. The primary outcome is a more flexible approach to improve your life in all aspects, strengthening your health, your mind and your connections with others as well.
Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why you may choose therapy. It may be to deal with long-standing psychological issues, problems with anxiety or depression, or it may be in response to unexpected changes in your life, such as a divorce. My therapy sessions help provide insight, support and guidance in implementing new approaches to your challenges which leads you to living a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
My hope is that I be of service to my clients and to be a witness to your life as you improve its quality by strengthening your capacity to meet challenges and live a purposeful, happier and healthier life. I address issues related to:
• Anxiety
• Parenting
• Substance Abuse & Addiction
• Depression
• Adolescent Issues
• Recovery
• Trauma
• Couples Therapy
• Personality and Mood Disorders
• Grief and Loss
• Blended Families
• Life Transitions
Services Rendered
Anxiety & Depression
“With the new day comes new strengths and new thoughts.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
Anxiety is considered a normal reaction to a stressor. Some individuals experience anxiety that is persistent, seemingly uncontrollable, and overwhelming. If it’s an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it can even be disabling. When anxiety interferes with daily activities, you may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can manifest through feelings of nervousness, pessimism, exssesive worry, obsessive thinking, perfectionism, catastrophizing, guilt and shame.
Everyone feels some level of anxiety once in a while. But overwhelming, recurring, or “out of nowhere” fear can deeply impact people. When anxiety interferes like this, talking to a therapist can help.
In therapy, you can identify undelying reasons that cause your anxiety and learn the tools to manage it.
Relationships
"There is only one thing you can control in a relationship: Yourself."
Happy relationships don't happen by accident, but they do happen over time with consistent effort, openness and love. There are many factors that go into making a relationship strong. Two individuals coming together to unite in a way that is healthy, loving, giving and equal can be a balancing act. Learning to effectively communicate and resolve conflict, defining commitment, being honest and open about feelings, thoughts and expectations, are all part of the dance.
Relationships require work and are bound to face challenges both large and small. Simple, everyday stressors can strain an intimate relationship, and major sources of stress may threaten the stability of the relationship. As long as each partner is willing to communicate and is open to resolution, most relationship issues are manageable. But when challenges are left unattended, tension mounts, poor habits develop, and the health and longevity of the relationship are in jeopardy.
I will model and coach you in expressing some of the feelings you may not be comfortable with or fearful of sharing. I will work with you to communicate and be heard and responded to appropriately.
Adolescents
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” –Rumi
Teenagers are sensitive about their image, particularly with their peers. They often put themselves at emotional risk rather than confess that they need help. As parents, we need to recognize the signs which could be isolation, anger and substance use and seek professional help. Teenage view of therapy sessions has been shaped by the movies and social media, and they often think that these therapy sessions are only for serious “mental” cases.
My counseling services for adolescents are composed of both Intervention and Prevention services. I offer mental health assessment and treatment for adolescents including individual and group therapy sessions such as Life skill training, Social skills, Drug and Alcohol Education, and Anger Management Education.
Pre-Marital Therapy
"Don’t rush when it comes to love. Remember that even in fairytales, the happy endings are on the last page."
Premarital counseling is a specialized type of therapy that is believed to offer benefits to all couples who are considering a long-term commitment such as marriage. Typically, the goal of premarital counseling is to identify and address any potential areas of conflict in a relationship early on, before those issues become serious concerns.
I help couples explore potential issues in a safe environment and teach them the skills and training they need for a successful and satisfying relationship, before the bonds of marriage are sealed.
Family Therapy
"Family… like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.”
Family therapy is a form of treatment that is designed to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period of time, a major transition, mental or behavioral problems, addiction or abuse by family members.
Family Therapy focuses on the relationships within the family unit and takes place with other family members present. Family therapy can be a supplement to individual therapy or primary focus of treatment.
Trauma
“The cure for the pain is in the pain” -Rumi
When we are faced with a situation that we do not feel prepared to face, we become traumatized. Trauma can be caused by an isolated event such as an accident, witnessing a crime, or being exposed to recurring circumstances such as mental, physical or sexual abuse.
Trauma affects not only those who are directly exposed to it, but also the ones around them.
Trauma by definition is unbearable and intolerable. While we all want to move beyond trauma, the part of our brain that is devoted to ensuring our survival is not very good at denial.
Trauma needs to be addressed, otherwise its affects show up in numbing behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, self harm, anxiety, depression or other mood disorders.
My role in treating your trauma is to help you understand it, become aware of your body and mind, allow you to self regulate, and stop using ineffective and self harming remedies and behaviors that affect you and everyone around you.