My Approach to Treatment

Encompassing a variety of techniques that will be client specific, I take a strength-based and solution-focused approach to treatment. First, this approach recognizes that each of us possesses gifts and strengths that we sometimes lose sight of or don't know how to access. I try to keep these individual and familial strengths front and center and creatively tap into them to empower clients to make change. Second, I believe that while we go through seasons in our lives during which we benefit from therapy, therapy shouldn't foster a lifelong dependency. I want clients to feel a sense of accomplishment with gaining skills and "tools" that can support them outside of therapy and be able to tap into natural supports that can help them maintain the positive changes they made while in therapy.

Particular techniques employed are dependent on the client’s needs and draw on elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused-CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing. Additionally, in family therapy I employ many techniques from Functional Family Therapy (FFT). Family therapy is focused on examining the way the family works as a whole, not on fixing one particular individual.

To the extent that the client is comfortable, I welcome participation with family members and collaboration with other involved professionals (schools, doctors, probation).

My Role as Your Therapist

My role as therapist is to offer a non-judgemental, 3rd party perspective. Different from that of a friend, I am able to be honest with the client in a way that serves the client's best interest. The relationship is a unique collaboration that is genuine, empathetic and supportive in helping the client reach his/her goals. No other person will have lived another's exact journey, but empathy allows us to walk it as closely as we can.