Services
About My Clients
My strengths work well with clients who were the truth-tellers in their families. Like the boy in “The Emperor Has No Clothes,” you probably experienced a lot of blowback for pointing out the obvious and uncomfortable. Maybe you came to doubt your own experience and wisdom. Over time you may have lost touch with those gifts, resulting in understandable confusion and coping skills that just aren't working anymore (symptoms). You came in this world authentically yourself, let's go find them!
My Background and Approach
I went to St. Edward's University and got my Masters' in Counseling after 30 years as an artisan/small business owner. Like many who are called to this work, from a tender age I had a burning desire to understand why humans do what they do--because a lot of what they did, didn't make sense to me. A lot of what I did didn't make sense either! A great deal of it makes sense to me now but my fascination and study continues. I use an integrated approach, using tools drawn and customized from a number of theoretical orientations. Having a favorite theory is like having a favorite poet. All the theories express many of the same ideas, only the metaphors are different. Attachment theory--how we come to connect with other people and the world around us-- is my "go to" approach as most of conflicts arise from challenges in that area.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
I believe the original Self that we came into the world with is indestructible, wired to connect and ready to grow. However, this essential Self may become hidden with our attempts to stay connected with those whose love and care we must have for our survival. If our environment invalidates what our core selves know intuitively, we construct ways to cope with / defend against this injury. I've heard it said that clients don't come to therapy with their problems; they come with their solutions that aren't working anymore. The emotional safety and connection you feel with a good therapist supports your journey through exploring these outdated "solutions" (coping strategies) and developing new ones that work in the here and now.