The Way I Approach

I work with the whole human being, not only with diagnoses. I believe that we are not either healthy or sick but we are on a continuous journey toward wholeness, a.k.a. health. We adjust to the best of our abilities to the bumpy road of life through opening up to the world just a little more every day. This adjustment may not always look pretty or socially desirable; nevertheless, it is not sick. It is safe.

It is just you with all your complexities.

Let go of beliefs that you have outgrown. The most destructive enemies you can have are hiding in your own mind. Many of them are the images of yourself, other people, and the world that you created when you were very young. Your experience was limited to your small brain and the tiny space you lived in as well as your utter dependence on others for survival. Many of those early beliefs have protected you thus far but by now you have better options. Your old skin hinders your further development. Let me help you unveil these beliefs and replace them with more constructive ideas to help you grow.

Today's drama is not played in a vacuum. The challenges that you are facing today intrude a normal developmental timeline. The death of your parent, for instance, will likely have a different effect on you if you are an established independent adult as opposed to a teen who is just launching your life or a young child learning to talk. Understanding where you are (or were) at a critical time of your life gives you lots of information about the meaning of that event and your chosen coping strategies; coping that may be ready for renovation. 

Complete confidentiality & flexibility of choices are some of the perks of paying for therapy out of pocket. Unlike with insurance payment, there is no requirement for stigmatizing and limiting medical necessity, diagnosing, and bureaucratic oversight. We know that creativity is a psychic tension that can be misinterpreted and mistreated as anxiety, depression, or a psychotic state of mind. Creativity requires constant reflection and mindful living; being in the present whatever that brings. Nurturing it through Jungian archetypes, dream analysis, and visualizing the metaphoric journey through human existence is not rooted in medical necessity and is not covered by insurance.

Therapist supposed to be non-judgmental. I want to admit that I am. I judge because I have a not-so-hidden agenda for you. I want you to refrain from self-pity and degrading yourself, no matter the obstacle you are facing. That would be your traumatized, overwhelmed, powerless self roaring. The worst thing that you can do to you is belittling your Self; somehow sending the message that you are too small, too weak, or not-enough. It is my experience that people who succeed are the ones who don't give up trying after they have failed because they don't think they are inadequate; they know they just haven't found the right way yet. They don't necessarily have everything the world could offer but they make the best of what they do have. I support your effort to face that fearsome beast in you that tears your soul and to tame it to be your strength; to get it to work with you, not against you.

Unleash your creative spirit. This is also on my agenda. After being shamed a myriad of times for being you; shutting down your strengths for fear of hurting others; and consequently telling yourself that you can't do things and can't pursue your goals because you are not good enough or don't deserve to succeed, you are naturally afraid of unleashing your creativity. Creativity is putting the same old things, objects, images, or concepts together in new ways, in your ways. By nature, creativity is risky. You risk exposing your unique gifts, having false starts, failures, judgements, and most importantly, standing out of the crowd and feeling vulnerable. Having the courage to be you, with all your blemishes and gifts, is, to a great extent, daring to be alone and standing alone. You may feel sensitive and vulnerable. You can learn that it's good for you.