Who I Work With
Adults
Most people are driven to therapy because of emotional pain related to something they are struggling with. Clients usually know, or quickly realize, that something has become out of alignment with how they wanted or expected their lives to be. I find that the benefit of therapy is when clients learn and get back into harmony with who they really are, what they truly want, and begin living life consistent with their own unique potential. Therapy will first and foremost be guided by the client’s wishes, specific concerns, or areas of difficulty, and vision for improvement and relief.
Adolescents
Work with adolescents often focuses on helping the teen find a health balance between school, family, and their social life. This involves working to reach academic and personal goals while moving toward developing a unique personal identity in concert with more responsibility and independence. Challenges often come because adolescents and their parents have opposing ideas about what these goals and responsibilities might be, and often there becomes a difficulty in communication between parents and their teens. Therapy may involve occasional sessions that include the family. The purpose of these sessions is to nurture clear communication abilities and work on setting boundaries that support harmony and success for the teenager and their family.
College Students and Young Adults
Starting a new chapter in life, particularly for young adults living on their own, can be daunting. For those who have had mental health struggles in the past, this can be particularly challenging. Nearly 25% of young people ages 18-24 struggle with mental health conditions that have gone undiagnosed. College and young adulthood is more than parties, meeting new people, trying new things. The transition into and out of college can bring upon new stressors often that trigger old challenges that they haven’t yet explored. Social, academic, and career pressures can exacerbate an already challenging time with transition. Accessing therapy can help combat the development of mental health struggles or mitigate existing mental health concerns. Managing mental health in this pivotal time of change is essential to success.
Mental Health Trainees
Psychology students or other students training to be mental health clinicians can reap enormous benefits from experiencing individual psychotherapy. Not only do such experiences help them handle personal problems, but they advance students' learning about the therapeutic process. In fact, some academic clinical programs may require a certain amount of personal therapy hours a an academic requirement for their graduate degree. Therapy can often look a little different, often incorporating consultative strategies to gain a better understanding of countertransferential reactions and dynamics in client relationships. Personal psychotherapy is a crucial part of addressing some of the stress that comes up in being a clinical mental health trainee.
