My first and foremost goal for my clients is to create a safe space for them to come and talk. It's important for me, as a therapist, to create an alliance with my clients. It is my job to be an ally while also guiding clients through difficult terrain. I believe that humor is an incredible healing tool to use in therapy if it is used appropriately and safely.
Values and Philosophy
I believe that our our thoughts, feelings, and moods are influenced by our internal processes as well as our environmental experiences. I help my clients to learn about themselves from several perspectives and create coping tools so that their healing process can begin.
Often, depressed and anxious moods and negative thoughts happen because we can only see ourselves from our own perspectives. Since these perspectives are negative to begin with, they tend to fuel more negative feelings, moods and thoughts. This can cause stagnant and hopeless feelings and feelings of guilt about feeling bad in the first place. Some may believe that feeling bad is a personal weakness. This kind of belief system can cause feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety.
I work with my clients to help them look at themselves as a whole. Not only within themselves, but in the context of our entire cultural environment.
Some of the issues we can explore: family of origin dynamics, cultural oppression and social oppression, past abuse and trauma, gender and sexual Identity and religious and spiritual upbringing and how issues in these areas can compound negative emotional and mental health.