The following categories are issues that I work with frequently. I have included with each category a series of statements, some of which may apply to your situation. 

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Shame and Self-Esteem

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You experience a sense of being inadequate, unlovable, unworthy of connection with others. You feel like an imposter, incapable of what is expected of you. You feel that if people knew the real you they might be disgusted. You feel doomed to always fail, to disappoint, or to be overlooked or rejected. You feel like must constantly labor to make people like you, to sacrifice for others, to maintain perfection, or to fit some impossible mold or image that has imposed upon you. You find yourself in co-dependent relationships, or are overly preoccupied with abandonment. In therapy, we will address the relational ruptures that have led to chronic shame and help you build a more accepting and compassionate relationship with yourself. 

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Life Transitions

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You have entered a new period in your life and all of a sudden things feel strange, off. You feel alone and alienated. You have lost someone and are grieving, a relationship or career has begun, changed or ended, you have had to move away from home. You have suffered religious abuse, are "deconstructing" your faith, or have had a spiritual crisis. You are on the brink of moving from one period of your life to the next. You are having an existential crisis, ruminating about death, or feeling a void of meaning or purpose. Maybe the world feels meaningless, empty, or chaotic. Something has changed, and you can no longer fall back on your old identity, roles, beliefs, social supports, or coping methods. You don’t know who you are or what you should be doing. I can support in finding answers that are authentically your own. 

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Family of Origin and Relationships

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You are coming from a toxic, conflictual, enmeshed, cold/distant, or simply confusing family system. You have been neglected, parentified, or been on the receiving end of toxicity, bullying and emotional abuse. You are stuck in unhealthy patterns of relating, or find yourself having the same arguments over and over while nothing gets resolved. You are tired of your habitual role in your family or relationships, of living up (or down) to someone else’s expectations. You are sick of being the scapegoat, the black sheep, ignored or invisible, the mascot, the caregiver, or the one who shoulders all the responsibility. You want to see yourself in a new way that is not defined by the roles you have played previously. You want peace, stability, fairness. I can support you in finding and mending relationships such that they feel more nourishing and alive.

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Creative Self-Actualization 

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You have a vivid imagination, a rich fantasy life, or elaborate dreams. You work in a creative field, or are just deeply involved in personal creative pursuits. You paint, sculpt, write, act/perform, film, make music, or engage in role playing games. You are a spiritual seeker, thinker, or occupy yourself with heady thoughts. You consider yourself a psychonaut, and want help integrating what you have experienced. You are looking for a therapist that can navigate these realms, who can understand and resonate with these dimensions of you, who understands the unique challenges involved. Conversely, you feel this dimension is missing from your life, and you are wanting to get in touch with your creative side, to become more open, more in touch with your feelings, more spontaneous and playful. 

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Depression and Anxiety

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Both involve a sense of being stuck. In anxiety you are stuck in a state of fight or flight, activated and tense, repetitively ruminating about a threat that cannot be resolved in the present moment. This can mean worrying about things you cannot control; like future events, or things that are happening somewhere else, or information to which you do not have access (like what others are thinking or saying about you). In depression you are stuck in a state of collapse, deadened by a deep, visceral feeling of futility. Depression can take many forms, ranging from a feeling of emptiness, ennui, or lack of pleasure in life, to a chronic, overwhelmingly awful and debilitating mood that makes it hard to even get out of bed. We can look at the reasons for your anxiety or depression, and build skills for getting you “unstuck” and living freely again. 

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Trauma 

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The word trauma describes a wide range of psychological injuries that have persistent unwanted effects and which resist integration into your life. In trauma the past lives on in the present, out of place and undigested, threatening to erupt and disrupt your life. Trauma can come from a one time event, or from varied events that happen repeatedly over time. I provide trauma-informed care that moves at a safe, gentle pace, and in which your safety is the top concern.

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Addiction Treatment Aftercare and Maintenance 

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You have recently finished rehab, or a PHP/IOP, are working a recovery program, and are looking for support in maintaining your sobriety. You are looking for a therapist that understands the neuroscience behind addiction and is not moralizing, scolding, or judgmental. You are looking for someone who understands that the causes of addiction are complex (biological, psychological/emotional, social, and spiritual), and that recovery is about building a satisfying and full new life, not just avoiding substances. 

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Anything Else?

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If you are curious about a particular problem that you do not see here, please reach out! 
 

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