My Treatment Approach:
Every person comes to therapy with a unique set of life experiences and individual identities that shape who they are today. As such, I partner with clients to tailor treatment to their specific needs. I help clients identify their stuck cycle and target cognitive, behavioral, and emotional changes aligned with their long-term goals. While we work on obstacles in the present, we also honor the influence of the past. I work through the lens of compassion and validation and utilize evidence-based treatments that are backed by research to ensure quality results.
I know how difficult it can be to find a therapist. There are many options and when reading about therapeutic offerings you encounter a variety of treatment titles and acronyms that can be confusing. Below, I provide high-level explanations of treatments to demystify my approach. I also offer a free, 15-minute consultation call where I can answer any questions you have and give you the opportunity to get to know me before you schedule an intake.
What I treat:
Evidence-based Treatments
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT takes a present-focused approach to change. The basic premise is that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact to make up our experience. For example, how we think about a situation, ourselves, and the world impacts how we feel and how we behave. We can target change by identifying and challenging negative thought patterns, learning skills to cope with our emotions, and changing our behavior. CBT helps people understand and break, maladaptive self-perpetuating cycles.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is the gold standard treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and involves approaching feared thoughts, images, or situations (exposure), while resisting urges to engage in compulsive behaviors (response prevention). In doing this treatment, individuals learn they are capable of experiencing distress without having to do compulsions to move on. The more individuals disengage from the OCD cycle the more they can engage in their lives. I also use this treatment approach to target other anxiety-based challenges.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT helps individuals cultivate psychological flexibility which is the ability to stay in contact with the present moment regardless of unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. ACT supports clients in choosing their behaviors based on personal values. I bring in ACT techniques with almost every individual/mental health struggle I am working with.
Habit Reversal Treatment (HRT)
HRT is used to treat skin picking or hair pulling. These treatments help individuals gain insight into their patterns of behavior by identifying sensations, cognitions, emotions, motor movements, and situations that initiate and perpetuate your cycle. Next, you will determine different strategies to interrupt the behavior.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
DBT helps individuals cope with emotion dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties. DBT is focused on building skills in the following categories: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help individuals build a life worth living. DBT balances acceptance and validation with change and problem-solving.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
PE utilizes exposure to treat PTSD by systematically and gradually approaching memories, feelings, and situations that have been avoided. This work decreases symptoms and promotes healing from traumatic events.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT focusing on challenging unhelpful thought patterns related to traumatic experiences to treat PTSD. Through this work, individuals develop more adaptive cognitions, process emotions, and overall decrease the impact of the trauma in the present.
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)
SPACE is a parent-based treatment program for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related problems.