As the founder, I want to share my philosophy on counseling. I am a person-centered therapist who believes in empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness. I will never be someone that I am not, and I will always really listen. When you come in for counseling, expect me to be myself—friendly, warm, outgoing, and dynamic. I am not the therapist that leans back and nods their head in agreement for 50 minutes. Instead, I will engage you. I constantly strive to slow down and ask questions out of curiosity (you’ll see that word, curious, written on my whiteboard in my office) because I am passionate about helping you put the puzzle pieces together.
**A Quick Note on Confidentiality** This is the room where so many stories live and stay. I like to think my office is cozy and warm. Moreover, it’s quiet and private. Your story stays with me forever (a very sacred idea to me). While I am a mandated reporter and must report if I think you or someone else is in imminent danger, I take confidentiality very seriously. I will never discuss your case with anybody without your permission. Since I do not work with insurance companies, no one will have access to my notes.
I’m a big believer in using therapy serves as a vessel to better self-understanding. It’s hard to love things that we don’t understand. While we will certainly talk about, address, and treat any symptoms you might be having, there will always be the red thread of self-understanding. When you begin to use your story to better understand yourself, you’ll be able to love, hold, and cherish yourself. Think about it like this:
There is another part of you that copes with our deep pain: substance, yoga, isolating, therapy, cutting, negative self-talk, etc.
By not confronting those deep feelings, they might manifest as: anger, sadness, racing thoughts, anxiety, etc.
Through therapy, we will explore your story, which is our most important tool, to identify what is actually hurting and how it has manifested in your life and the ways in which you’ve coped.
From there, I’ll invite you to extend compassion and love for yourself, because, really, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You’ve just been hurting, and hurting people cope because humans are experts at relieving our pain. Hurting people do not need punishment; rather, hurting people need compassion, love, empathy, positive regard, etc.
**Think about this as “Pulling the Weed” rather than “Trimming the Weed”.
This might sound a simple counseling philosophy, but the reality is that it is hard work. I will employ a variety of different counseling strategies to help serve as your guide. It is my job to offer you immense support while also helping you confront whatever it is that needs confrontation (in the most loving and gentle way possible). I will be there every step of the way.