I practice relationally-based psychoanalytic psychotherapy; this means that, where relevant, we will talk about the relationships in your life that impact your way of navigating the world. We will sometimes talk about what you are experiencing in relationship to me, and I also discuss how I experience my client in the process. At times, we will talk about steps you can take to begin experiencing relief from your presenting concerns. Much of the time, I will be carefully listening to what you communicate and the way in which you communicate, as this will help us discover the underlying ways you are attempting to get your needs met. Many clients enter into therapy because, at a core level, they feel far from experiencing a satisfying life, or they feel misunderstood by others in their attempts to access satisfaction. I believe that we have each found ways to survive our world as best we can; at some point, we may consider wanting to shift these ways because they do not work as well as they once did. Clients often experience a great deal of healing through the process of finding words for their story, and exploring new ways to interact with their world to get their needs better met.

Essential to the process of healing, change, and lasting growth is the experience of better connecting with your emotions in the context of your story, both present and past. When I sit with my clients, I am listening to the ways in which they have figured out how to best be heard or cared for, and the difficulties they experience in these attempts. I am also listening for the parts of clients’ experiences that have been left out of the story, such as emotions that are felt but not safe to acknowledge, hopes that are not yet possible in my clients’ eyes, and undiscovered sources of worth and fulfillment. My role is to help you connect to these parts of yourself, as you are ready. Through our journey in your process, I hope to help you see your conflicts in a new way, and with new options to help you get unstuck.