Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

As a psychodynamic-oriented therapist, I am interested in understanding how your early relationships and experiences and the manner in which you have processed them is currently impacting your life.

In the first 2 sessions, I will complete an extensive life and family history for you going back multiple generations.  It is important for me to understand the formative experiences from your birth until you stepped into my office.  It is also crucial that I understand the family, cultural, and physical environment that formed you.

Somatic Processing

New research and clinical experience is teaching us that mental health is not a “brain only” phenomenon.  We hold our emotional experiences and our traumas in our entire body and can use the whole body for healing.  I use a variety of techniques of focused attention and movement which can offer deeper and more rapid healing and growth.

Mindfulness

Simply put, mindfulness is about awareness.  I use mindfulness exercises to teach you how to bring skillful attention to your present experience in a way that can reduce suffering.

Eco-psychology 

The state of the non-human world and our relationship to it has a tremendous impact on our emotional and physical health.  Our human decisions have a profound impact on the non-human world.  I use the concepts of eco-psychology to explore these realities in your life.

Death and Grief

I have a special affinity for working with individuals and families experiencing the end of life (and other opportunities for grief).  As a student of the teacher and spiritual activist, Stephen Jenkinson, I bring a culturally-minded and perhaps radical perspective to this work.  I see the end of life not only as a time to offer comfort, but also as an opportunity to explore our most basic assumptions about what it means to be human and how we will inhabit this life.     

Addictions

In an attempt to connect to ourselves and to the world, all of us occasionally turn to a variety of external stimulation to change the way that we feel. Whether it is alcohol, other drugs, screens, relationships, pornography, sex, work, etc., sometimes those entities take over and we lose control. As a Level III Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor, I have been helping people who are struggling with abuse and addiction for over 20 years.

Dreamwork    

Skillful recollection and exploration of dreams can offer insight, messages and inspiration that are powerful for healing and growth.

Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy

I have partnered with a local physician to offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. Psychedelic therapy is an approach that has reemerged with well documented benefits for depression, suicidality, addiction, PTSD, OCD, end of life anxiety along with assisting general psycho-spiritual growth. For more information: Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

Multi-media

Impactful therapy does not have to rely on talking alone.  I use poetry, books, music, videos, TED Talks and more to bring new insights and access deep emotional content.

EMDR

A unique intervention that I offer is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  EMDR is a well-researched treatment that helps people process disturbing life experiences. It is especially effective for people suffering from the effects of trauma in their lives, including those diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Social Work

My original training was in social work with a concentration in multi-ethnic practice.  I am fluent in Spanish and have lived and traveled extensively in Latin America.  In the past, I have worked here in the US with exclusively low-income Latino clients and communities.  I bring to my work an awareness about the realities of the dominant culture and systems of oppression and how they impact emotional health.

Creative Expression

The ways in which we express our unique selves in the world is an important part of healing and of living a full and meaningful life.  I explore creative expression in my sessions and the ways in which you can bring a generative capacity to your life.  Whether it is through art, crafts, writing, your work, cooking, gardening, etc., there are endless possibilities for bringing creativity to your world.  We can take a look at what is blocking these opportunities and find new ways to bring them into your life.

Spirituality

The manner in which religion and spirituality was offered or not offered to you as a younger person can have a profound impact on how you see yourself and the world.  I find that exploring these issues with my clients can be very powerful.  Whether it is healing from a religious upbringing that left wounds or pursuing a spiritual path that intrigues you now, we can make that inquiry an integral part of your growth and self-discovery.

Welcoming    

I welcome clients of all race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and socioeconomic status.  I consider myself sex positive.  If I lack the experience and/or training to navigate the unique background of a client, I seek out consultation and further training on the topic.