Psychotherapist

Through individual therapy, I help clients sort through and transform experiences and feelings they struggle with, while also helping cultivate curiosity and awareness about who they are. The people I work with usually have sought out therapy for depression, anxiety, stress, relationship or dating issues, family difficulties, or current or past traumatic experiences (or some combination of those common issues). Though we will maintain a focus on concerns that brought you into therapy, as we move further into the process we may find many valuable connections and emotionally impactful experiences that find their way into sessions. In these sessions (usually weekly), you determine the pace and depth, and I gently guide the process with attention to helping you safely navigate feelings and using our time together effectively.

Clients often say their goal for therapy is to “feel better.” I want you to not only feel more at ease as a result of therapy, but also to improve your capacity to feel your feelings better, too. Through the therapy process, painful feelings and traumatic experiences can shift in ways that are easier to us feel…less sharp, less overwhelming, less blindsiding, and more integrated into the way we think about and see ourselves.

Over time, many couples find challenges emerge such as repetitive disagreements, disappointments, difficulty in communication, attempts to “change” each other, emotional and physical disconnection, and feeling not understood by a partner. Most couples experience conflict, but how we deal with conflict is what really matters. Staying emotionally attuned, even when stressed, sad or angry, is how we maintain and repair the relationship. Couples counseling can be particularly useful when a couple feels they keep painfully “going around in circles” when it comes to solving their problems on their own, an ongoing cycle of disrepair.

Each partner’s own unique psychological makeup, temperament, personal history, and family background are most assuredly present in sessions. Issues arising in a current relationship often reflect individual experiences and emotions that predate that relationship. In therapy, we work on communicating and understanding each partner’s perception of specific issues while also developing insight and sensitivity around each partner’s unique history of relationships, family issues, vulnerabilities and strengths.

Group therapy can be a remarkable way of learning about oneself through in-the-moment experiences with others.  Whether as a stand alone treatment, or, ideally, in conjunction with individual sessions, it’s an opportunity to access and work on parts of your self that are challenging to access one-on-one in therapy.  I currently offer two weekly mixed-gender process groups.

I particularly enjoy working with artists, musicians, writers, and other creative individuals. Participating as a SIMS Foundation provider for many years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Austin musicians facing wide ranging issues. There are often specific challenges related to the artistic process and a creative lifestyle that are well suited to the growth and discovery found through psychotherapy. Issues such as confronting procrastination and creative blocks, working through feelings around criticism, self-esteem and success, and managing unique relationship challenges related to time or art-making are not uncommon.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprograming)is technique practiced by a trained clinician that can reduce symptoms of trauma and anxiety, sometimes in a fairly short amount of time.  It’s a process that has been used and studied for over 20 years, and has been demonstrated to be effective at helping manage symptoms that traditional means of talk therapy have been harder to access. Beyond it’s original use for single, specific traumatic events, it has been expanded to applications with individuals with more broad and/or complex needs including attachment related issues and longer-term trauma histories.

EMDR is a technique in which the practitioner has the client follow back and forth finger movements with their eyes (or light tapping on the knees) to activate both sides of the brain while focusing on a challenging or stressful experience. The client usually experiences a stream of associations, feelings, thoughts and memories through this processing and and then verbalizes their internal experience intermittently with the clinician.  It’s unclear exactly how EMDR works, but it’s is believed that it helps reprocess in a way similar to REM sleep functions in memory consolidation

Assisting emerging and established professionals sharpen their clinical skills is something I love to do.

In supervision, we discuss cases, dig into theory and practice, and may play with relevant readings. Effective supervision can enhance your ability to conduct accurate clinical assessment, clearly conceptualize cases, and provide top-notch psychotherapy. It can also promote deeper insight into your own clinical practice and theoretical approach.  My approach to supervision integrates attachment and  neurobiological research within a psychodynamic context.

I  also currently offer a biweekly consultation group on Fridays, at 8:15 on zoom. This group is a space to explore transference, countertransference, resistances, and dilemmas in our clinical work with welcomed attention to equity, inclusion and power through discussion, case presentations and interpersonal group process.

Ongoing consult group engagement can be useful way to work through case and practice issues, and process our unique professional challenges, while developing rich relationships with area colleagues.