Individual Therapy
There are a variety of different therapy techniques, but the most important aspect is the therapeutic relationship. Without it, therapy and its tips and tricks don't work all that well. Often times, the therapeutic relationship is one of the first genuinely healthy and authentic relationship people have. It's meant to be a safe space for you to share all the "parts" of you that you can't share with others.
Whatever reason led you to therapy, it's the right one.
Come as you are and we'll figure it out.
If you're skeptical about starting therapy, you don't have much to lose (the time is going to pass by anyway and chances are the money will be spent on something) but a lot to gain. Most of us were not given the skills to handle many of the stressors we experience. We just kind of "wing it" and hope for the best.
So, if you feel like you aren't handling life as well as you'd like...
If you feel like the relationships in your life are mediocre at best and toxic at worst...
If you feel like you're carrying around a ton of baggage you can't let go of...
These are the things we can navigate together.
Adults
Often our suffering comes from broken attachments and lack of connection. When we feel disconnected, we experience shame and that can take us to some incredibly dark places.
Attachment theory is a complex field of research that pertains not only to childhood development and parenting but to romantic relationships and platonic friendships as well. The attachment style we develop as children (as a result of the care we receive) is the one we take with us into adulthood if there is no intervention.
Unfortunately, when people with opposing styles pair up (romantically or platonically) it can be a disaster, especially if neither is aware and are not actively working through their "stuff." Together, we can explore how your attachment style developed and how your relationships have been impacted. You are capable of developing a secure attachment.
Part of attachment therapy involves "inner child" work, which is usually over-simplified and made to sound very "woo woo," when in reality it leads to some serious healing. There is so much that most of us didn't get growing up. In my experience, it's not because parents intentionally wanted to send us off into the world as wounded individuals, most of them did the best they could with what they had. But, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
I don't hang with the notion that "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger." Trauma doesn't make us stronger. It desensitizes us and keeps us in survival mode. We make ourselves stronger by making different choices as adults than the ones that were made for us as children.
We can do hard things, but we don't have to do them alone.
Teens
Disclaimer 1: I'm not a TikTok Therapist. I mean, I have a TikTok; but it's for lurking and saving relatable content. While many adults may not share this opinion, I'm quite glad this app exists, it has expanded mental health knowledge significantly and I'm here for it.
Disclaimer 2: I may not personally be into or sometimes even knowledgeable [insert trends here] but I will listen to you talk about all of it without judgment and with full attention.
A 15-year old once told me, "Thanks for not being a douche, I wasn't going to do therapy if you had been."
So, there's my street cred.
Not. A. Douche.
Honestly, y'all can be some of my favorite humans to work with.
You're so much more aware compared to the generations before you.
And it keeps me in check to be reminded that I'm now ancient (I'm 36) and therefore clearly very wise, hah.
Ultimately, I just aim to be the therapist that I needed as a teen.
Here are some of the things we can dig into:
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Anxiety / Depression
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Body image / Self-Esteem
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Identity / Gender / Sexuality exploration
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Neurodivergence (no fixing, just empowering)
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ADHD
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Autism
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Etc
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Friendships / Relationships
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School stressors
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Substance use
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Suicidal thoughts / self-harm
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Trauma
I don't do lectures and I'm not here to tell you what to do or not to do. I respect autonomy and focus on understanding what is beneath behaviors so that I can best provide support.
I encourage caregivers to be involved in therapy to some degree; this looks different for teens compared to younger kids. Either way, confidentiality is crucial and I encourage caregivers to respect their teens privacy, especially when it comes to therapy. In my experience, it is unlikely to go well when kiddos are forced into therapy, so when this happens, I am happy to just work with parents. Therapy should always be voluntary.
I don't want teens (or parents) to just survive these years. I want teens to gain some kick a** coping skills, learn radical self-love and feel heard. I want parents to learn the art of letting go so that your relationship with your kid can evolve into a good one as they enter into adulthood.