Relational Therapy

A strong therapeutic relationship between a patient and therapist is pivitor for growth and healing. I have a very relaxed and warm style that is grounded in relational-cultural theory. This means that I focus on building a strong therapeutic connection while exploring relationship patterns, identities, and cultural elements.

My therapy is oriented toward thinking about relationships.

Relational therapy understands that our relationships with others can be at the core of our unhappiness or happiness, and that life can only be lived with others. And yet-- living with others can be hard! How do we bridge these two things? By understanding *your* role in a relationship, you can focus on where you have control and make your life and relationships better.

Relational therapy offers valuable support for individuals navigating challenges in their intimate, professional, family, and social relationships. I work well with clients regarding diverse relationship issues. Common themes in relational therapy include addressing social factors such as culture, race, class, heteronormativity, and intersectionality.

I am highly relational in my work with clients, and I strive to create a space where clients feel deeply known, seen, and understood. I believe that in the context of such a relationship, hopefulness and change organically take place. I foster a therapy environment where clients can feel seen, valued, and understood. I see therapy as a collaboration between your lived expertise and my clinical expertise, and value the opportunity to get to know you and your story.

As a Marriage and Family Therapist I am always steering couples and individuals towards relational health. Moving towards relational health can be challenging. Often it requires stronger boundaries which upsets the dynamics families and couples are used to. However, the rewards of relational health are living a more purpose, authenticity, and joy.

Working relationally means I will connect with you as myself. I am a real person in the room with you, with humor and personality. I am not a blank slate, I will not sit silently and stare at you while you talk. I will still maintain professional boundaries and the focus will always be on you, I will listen empathically and share in your human experience.

By nature, I am a relational therapist. I believe that we work best in relation to others. I understand that connection is very healing and existing at the same time our relationships provide challenges. I work hard to build trust in our therapeutic relationship to ensure you feel seen and heard. I help clients examine all the relationships in their lives.

I'm well trained in psychodynamic and systems-oriented relational therapy. This means that we'll work together to improve your relationships and overall wellbeing, through both exploring the past, and looking with curiosity at your current connections and patterns of communication. We'll be able to learn from the way you and I work and communicate together, trying new behaviors along the way. We'll discover what "old roles" worked in the past, that no longer serve you in the present.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist, most of my training has been in working with couples and individuals on relational concerns. When I am meeting with a couple or an individual, I am always thinking about emotional wellness within the context of the relationships. I have training in Gottman Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples, ACT Therapy for Couples, working with open relationships and addressing sexual concerns in relationship therapy

My study of Relational Therapy began with some research work with Otto Kernberg and his interactions with an outpatient with borderline personality organization.

I am relationally focused and utilize a strengths-based lens to empower, increase resilience, and promote positive well-being. In sessions, we will be curious and wonder together as you build insight and lower distress.

Relational therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the importance of interpersonal relationships and their influence on an individual's emotional well-being. It emphasizes the therapist-client relationship as a primary factor in the healing process, encouraging clients to explore and understand their patterns of relating to others. The goal is to improve the client's relationships by fostering healthier, more supportive connections.

A strong relationship between a therapist and their client is one of the signatories of growth, potential, and healing. I leverage the evidence-based principles behind therapeutic teamwork and draw from psychodynamic, relational, and behavioral modalities, specifically including the research surrounding Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP). I also employ the research of Peter Fonagy and others to assist clients with considering a reflective or mindful approach to their lives.

We are all relational beings seeking to make sense of the ourselves, others and the world. In response, the therapeutic relationship can be used as a vehicle to gain insight, self-compassion and understanding. Slowing down to consider why we (and others) act, believe and think the way we do can result in healthier relationships and boundaries while getting our needs met.

Our damage happened through relationships with other people, so it needs to be healed through our relationships with other people. Our earliest experiences starting in the womb shape our bodies and our brains and impact how we are able to interact with the world around us. It takes repeated positive interactions in order to heal the repeated negative interactions that so many experienced as infants and toddlers.