Maeve Raphelson (she/her)

In treating anxiety, I first help clients find coping skills, such as relaxation exercises, and build self-care routines to manage their immediate symptoms. Once those are in place, we have more space to dig into the causes of the symptoms--whether it is childhood trauma, work/school stress, or societal structures.

My approach to depression is similar to my approach to anxiety because I see them as different sides to the same coin, but manifesting differently, and because many of my clients experience both. Some of the skills at the beginning might look different, like more behavioral activation.

I have a lot of experience with interpersonal trauma, such as domestic violence of sexual assault. My first step is assuring safety--both for the client in their life out in the world and between us in building a trusting relationship. I do not pressure clients to share before they are ready and believe in using our relationship toward healing the relational issues that come from such trauma. In processing traumatic events, I use things like narrative therapy and EMDR, depending on the client.

I don't strictly adhere to a style of therapy, so eclectic feels like the best descriptor. A session with me typically begins with asking what is going on for the client that week and then addressing the themes/concerns that come up in a way that fits the topic at hand. I can be direct and step back when needed, use humor when appropriate. I do not give advice but ask questions to help clients reflect on what they want/need to do, as they are in charge.

I am trained in EMDR and use it with clients to process trauma as well as effects of trauma. I organize our targets thematically, rather than chronologically, and progress according to client's readiness.

I specialize in interpersonal trauma. I first build safety and trust with the client, which helps them build trust outside of our relationship. I then process through various means with the client (eg. when a client is a writer, we might use narrative therapy to play to that strength).