What to expect:

Please note: due to the high need in the valley and limited therapists trained in postpartum therapy, I now work almost exclusively with women and families in the perinatal period (conception to 1 year postpartum).  You can expect a thorough evaluation in which we will determine a suitable course of therapy.  Generally, the expectation is that we will meet anywhere from 4-16 sessions depending on the severity of your challenges, at which point we will re-evaluate your need.  Therapy with me will come to a close when you are no longer experiencing acute postpartum (or prenatal) distress and feel adequately confident in your ability to navigate any ongoing challenges.  If there becomes a need to further address underlying historical traumas in a more ongoing way, it will be necessary to establish care with a therapist who can meet with you for more long-term therapy.

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I approach counseling from a client-centric viewpoint.  I love people, and I love my work. I believe we are all in deep need of understanding our innate worth, separate from what we do or what we can try to prove to the world. I seek to gently support clients in finding the true source of this worth.  I employ an eclectic and integrated approach that is predicated on individual client and family needs. Our body, thoughts, feelings, experiences, behaviors, beliefs and symptoms are all part of an integrated whole and therefore seek to support the whole person in a collaborative, compassionate, and relational manner. I draw from my training and experience with sensorimotor psychotherapy and other body-centered/somatic approaches, mindfulness, collaborative problem solving, emotion-focused therapy, mediation, narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, family systems, parts work, and elements of art, dance, and movement therapy. 

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My postpartum work with new parents is often more present-based and solution-focused - while also dedicated to finding new meaning within this new identity.  This work is largely based on methods developed by Wendy Davis, PhD - executive director of Postpartum Support International, and Karen Kleiman, LCSW, founder of the Postpartum Stress Center and prolific author.  

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I love working with people seeking to find deeper meaning in life, a sense of belonging, a strengthened ability to lovingly communicate in relationships, and more fulfilling creative expression.  In addition, I love to provide spiritual support to those searching for answers to life's greatest and most pressing questions.  My personal reference for finding meaning is the Bible, but I am committed to meeting people wherever they are, without pressing any agenda.  

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I have extra training in Ross Greene's Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, Restorative Justice Practices and Principles, and Effective Communication and Relationship Building Skills.

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I am also a dancer and film-maker, and love to use these creative modalities to aid in the healing and empowering process. Please inquire if you would like to know more about how film/movement can allow people to witness their beauty and worth in a whole new way.