MY WORK-MYSELF-

I love my work supporting people in their lives when things are feeling rough, may feel as if they are closing in and overwhelming. I have had many "chapters" in my life and use my experiences as a midwife, as a teacher, as a parent, as an advocate to shape my work. I balance my work with my own self care...I garden, I hike, I dance, I do crafts, I exercise, I meditate, I laugh with loved ones. I love spending time with the pet members of my family.

APPROACHES-

I use several approaches which are all considered brief therapy to help you get out of that "stuck place" and, for those of you who like to research, I want to tell you about a few. 

CBT- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - based on the idea that our thoughts (not external things, like people, situations, and events) cause our feelings and behaviors.  We examine patterns in your thinking which can lead to negative feelings and self-destructive behaviors and gently shift them to more realistic perspectives.

Mindfulness- is the gentle effort to purposefully pay attention in the present moment without judgment. Left to itself the mind wanders amd can often feel regrets about the past or worry about the future.  When we get "sucked into" these thoughts we reinforce some negative emotions and cause ourselves to suffer.

ACT- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy- approach supporting clients to accept their thoughts and feelings and still commit to change and take action without first changing or eliminating feelings.

Solutions Focused-  targets the desired outcome of therapy as a solution rather than focusing on the symptoms or issues that brought someone to therapy.  focuses on clients’ strengths, and previous and future successes. alternatives to current undesired patterns of behavior, cognition, and interaction that are within the clients’ repertoire or can be co- constructed by therapists and clients

Feminist Perspective- examines the role of relationship in a woman’s life and takes into consideration sexual bias in our male dominated society. Often, this therapy works to explore the educational and professional disparities between men and women and assists and empowers women with issues regarding a sense of connectedness with others, career, reproductive concerns, body image, and history of physical or sexual abuse. 

Relational Therapy- focuses on connectedness to others and attempts to establish strong, inspiring and secure relationships that serves as a model for future relationships one develops.

Humanistic Psychology- emphasizes the independent dignity and worth of human beings and their conscious capacity to develop personal competence and self respect, courageously learning to take responsibility for oneself as one confronts personal transitions.