individual therapy

I work with people who feel blocked by past wounds and seek healing so they can connect with more ease. They may be starting individual therapy because they feel unsatisfied in their relationships and are not sure they’re in for the commitment of couples therapy. They want to focus on themselves first. They are accustomed to caring for everyone else and are pursuing therapy as a way to care for themself.

Sometimes clients begin therapy with a hunch as to the experiences that are still impacting them today: a breakup, transitions in their identity, past trauma, or familial wounds. Maybe they’ve spent hours in self-help books, feverishly journaling, combing through events with friends, or working with another therapist. They may have a sense of the ways they replay the roles of their past. Insight alone doesn’t seem to make a difference in their lives, they feel stuck showing up to the same old problems in the same old ways.

In session, we hold the why of our responses to our world. Not so it will all finally make sense and we can finally cut it out–but so we can build compassion for the parts of ourselves that learned to protect us with these responses. As we begin to explore our automatic responses we create new space to experience our emotions. The work of slowing down and mindfully building tolerance for these feelings, as well as new rhythms of compassion and attuned self-care, creates a corrective experience. We begin to show up differently with ourselves. And we begin to open up the possibility of showing up differently with others.

More often than not, the ultimate goal in therapy is to change the relationship with ourselves. We explore the cultural and familial stories that impact how we respond to our emotions, tending to these parts of ourselves so we can integrate and celebrate emerging identities.

Through our work together, you gain the strength to honestly hold your experiences. We will work to slow down your experience of emotions, noticing their somatic presence in your body and the stories that play out about these feelings. Through mindfully noticing their feelings and stories, I help clients change their automatic responses to their emotions.

Together, we often unpack internalized shame and prejudice, replacing these feelings with compassion and care. We explore the old patterns that play out in current relationships and the potential for new ways to respond. Some sessions may focus on the process of a recent and raw experience, while others tend to explore past wounds and identify new ways to cope with past pain. The experience of feeling known in therapy is something you can carry on in how you respond to your own needs, respond to others, and express your needs.