ADOLESCENCE:

Adolescence is an extraordinary time of exploration and tremendous growth. However, it can be quiet challenging for the individual as well as the family. The development into self and adulthood can be painful and confusing but it is a crucial period in one’s life that sets the pace for what’s ahead. Therapy can help adolescents develop:

• improved communications skills
• adaptive coping skills
• a sense of self
• clarity about self
• greater self-confidence and self-esteem
• positive family dynamics
• healthy relationships with parents, siblings, and peers

Therapy in adolescence is crucial to prevent current struggles from worsening and becoming chronic in adulthood. We can work through the following difficulties together:

• relational, peer, and family conflict
• alcohol and substance abuse
• sexuality and identity
• sexual trauma
• disordered eating
• depression and anxiety
• self-harm behaviors
• poor performance in school

ADULTS:

Life can present with a variety of challenges, which can be hard to face alone. Psychotherapy can be a useful tool to help you gain clarity, relief, and improve the situation as well as the self. Whether you are seeking therapy for a specific concern or if you find yourself looking for a deeper understanding about yourself, therapy can help. We will work together to figure out your needs in life and in relationships to gain deeper insight and meaning.

Difficulties, which bring many adults in and can be addressed through psychotherapy are:

• lack of enjoyment in life and boredom
• depression, bipolar disorder
• trauma
• loss
• relationship problems, break-ups, codependency
• feeling lonely
• anxiety, fears
• drug and alcohol abuse
• disordered eating
• chronic health issues, illness
• chronic pain

COUPLES:

All committed relationships at some point reach a point of challenge or deadlock. Therapy can help a couple through difficult times such as illness, losses, infidelity, parenting, conflict, loss of passion, and miscommunication.

Couples therapy can foster a great deal of growth, offer relief from conflict, and create a deeper understanding and love for one another.

COACHING:

Coaching is a different process than psychotherapy. Psychotherapy works with conscious and unconscious motivations and fears as well as the defense mechanisms that prohibit one from achieving psychological health due to complex historical relational or personal problems.

When working with my coaching clients either in person. on the phone, or on skype), I continue the practice of supporting the client, but with specific professional or personal goals as the client’s main objective. This includes written assignments and commitments to be followed through during the week.

Coaching lends itself to techniques in more of a question and answer format, (the Socratic method), with the coach challenging and encouraging the client to take risks in order to achieve their predetermined goals. Every week a goal is set and a predetermined series of steps (letters, phone calls, etc.) is committed to in order to achieve that weeks goal. The client is accountable to the coach/therapist every week and shows that accountability by fulfilling the specific goals. Set-backs are dealt with in a non-judgemental way and if it is indicated that there are other more serious difficulties in achieving one’s goals, psychotherapy will be incorporated into the coaching.