Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate (LMFTA)
Somatic Psychotherapy for Adults in North Carolina
When working with individuals, I use a highly experiential + somatic approach to therapy. What does this mean? Human beings learn and grow primarily through experience. Simply thinking or talking about a problem can be helpful for processing, but is not enough to create real change. In order for meaningful change to occur, we need to go a little bit deeper, beyond the thinking mind. Current research shows that having a felt experience can open up pathways to new ways of thinking and being. Notice the difference in thinking, “I am safe here,” versus having a visceral experience of feeling deeply safe. This means that in addition to talking about what brings you to therapy, we will be working toward having new, felt sense experiences to help you move beyond stuck patterns and ineffective coping strategies and toward real change.
"If we do not know how to take care of ourselves and to love ourselves, we cannot take care of the people we love. Loving oneself is the foundation for loving another person."
Thích Nhất Hạnh
Most of my individual clients come to me to work on:
-
anxiety
-
attachment issues
-
unresolved childhood issues / family of origin issues
-
emotional intelligence (identifying emotions, understanding their origins, + learning effective ways of responding to our emotions)
In addition, I also specialize in working with clients on:
-
stress
-
attachment issues
-
trauma / ptsd
-
self-esteem and shame
-
perfectionism
-
communication problems
-
stuck patterns
-
or anyone just looking for more satisfaction in their work, their relationships, and their lives.
My Approach
Based on your goals, needs, interests, and comfort, our sessions might include:
-
family of origin / childhood exploration
-
exploring how body-based sensations are linked to your emotional experience
-
identifying and processing emotions
-
learning new skills, including more effective coping strategies
-
inner child work
-
guided imagery
-
mindfulness practices, such as meditation or guided relaxation techniques
-
identifying habitual and unconscious patterns
-
clarifying needs and desires
Beyond these kinds of interventions, the most important aspect of our work together is the quality and depth of our relationship. It is essential for you to feel safe, heard and seen in order for meaningful change to occur in therapy.
Getting Started
Step 1
Reaching Out
You'll reach out via phone, text or email. I'll get back to you within 24hrs to set up a brief phone call. The purpose of the call is to learn a little about what's going on for you and to make sure we seem like a good match. If we are, we'll schedule a first session, usually within a week or two. If we're not, I'll help you find another therapist who is.
Initial Session
The first session is mainly about getting to know you better and gaining an understanding of what's bringing you to therapy and what you hope to get out of our work together. This is also a time for you to feel me out as a therapist - Do you feel comfortable? Do you want to continue working together? Finding a therapist that's a good match is the most important part of therapy. If you'd like to continue working together, we'll look into scheduling regular appointments. If you don't feel like I'm the right fit for you, no problem - I'll help you find another therapist who is.
Step 2
Ongoing Therapy
Depending on your needs and preferences, we'll meet regularly (typically weekly or biweekly). Using clinically proven methods, we'll work together to identify and meet your goals. Length of treatment varies from person to person and may be brief (just a few weeks) to longer-term (several months). We'll work together until you feel confident, comfortable and ready to end therapy.
Step 3
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch to set up a free 30-min consultation today.