Many people receive benefits from counseling to process their thoughts and feelings about relationships, work stressors, major life transitions and personal identity development. I provide a safe and supportive therapeutic environment while ensuring that the treatment you receive is guided by science and tailored to your circumstance. I like to be honest and warm with my communication so you will not wonder what I'm thinking or worry about negative judgments.
For those who desire or would benefit from a more structured approach, I also provide a variety of evidence-based psychotherapies, please see below.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
The first stage of CPT consists of education about PTSD and helping you make the connection between thoughts and feelings. In the second stage, we work on learning to evaluate and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns. In the final stage, I will guide you in challenging your thoughts in three areas: self, others, and the world. Through practice, you will learn to replace or change your unhelpful thinking patterns related to the traumatic event with more realistic and helpful beliefs.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
PE helps clients emotionally process traumatic events by providing education about PTSD; repeated and prolonged imaginary exposure to trauma-related memories; repeated real-world confrontation with feared, but safe, situations you are avoiding; and discussion about thoughts and feelings related to exposure exercises.
Adjunct:
Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR)
STAIR is a structured treatment approach designed for individuals with a history of trauma who have difficulties managing strong negative emotions or being effective in relationships. You will learn helpful coping strategies to manage emotions and improve relationships. STAIR helps you address trauma history without requiring disclosure or focus on the trauma event.
Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) for Parents
Parenting STAIR is a structured treatment approach designed for parents with a history of trauma who struggle to parent the way they want to in the context of their trauma histories. This treatment focuses on enriching parenting skills and your relationships with your children. Parenting STAIR is an add-on to STAIR (see above) and is typically delivered in 5 50-minute sessions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety (CBT-A)
CBT a short-term, present-oriented therapy based on research that has shown a strong relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It emphasizes the role of disruptive thoughts in the development and maintenance of depression and anxiety. The goal of CBT is to help you develop new skills, perspectives and strategies for modifying unhelpful thinking patterns or cognitions and maladaptive emotions and behaviors in an effort to resolve current problems. An important component of CBT for treatment of anxiety disorders is Exposure Therapy (see below).
Exposure Therapy (ET)
ET is a CBT approach that identifies situations that cause anxiety and have led to avoidance in a way that causes problems in your life. We will systematically engage in exposures to these uncomfortable situations to gain corrective learning experiences. ET can be delivered alone or in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D)
CBT a short-term, present-oriented therapy based on research that has shown a strong relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It emphasizes the role of disruptive thoughts in the development and maintenance of depression and anxiety. The goal of CBT is to help you develop new skills, perspectives and strategies for modifying unhelpful thinking patterns or cognitions and maladaptive emotions and behaviors in an effort to resolve current problems.
Behavioral Activation
BA is a CBT approach that focuses on our desire to isolate/withdraw and maintenance of depression symptoms. I will help guide you in reconnecting with your values and the meaningful aspects of your life to change these behavior patterns. BA can be delivered alone or in conjuction with CBT.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
CBT-I focuses on learning about the connection between thoughts, behaviors and feelings that negatively impact sleep. I will guide you in learning to challenge unhelpful beliefs about sleep while engaging in behavioral changes to establish healthy sleep habits. CBT-I is typically delivered in 4-6 50-minute sessions.
Adjunct:
Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) desensitization
Some individuals who have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea have difficulty adjusting to their CPAP devices due to feelings of anxiety or claustrophobia. There is a treatment for that! In this treatment, I will provide psychoeducation and guide you in reducing your anxiety response to using the CPAP so you can enjoy a restful night's sleep. The first few sessions of CPAP desensitization will typically take 50 minutes, subsequent check-in sessions will be delivered in 25-minute sessions at a prorated rate.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ADHD
This behavioral treatment is helpful for adults with ADHD who are currently taking medications but notice continued difficulties with (1) organizing and planning, (2) distractibility, (3) associated anxiety and depression, and (4) procrastination. In this treatment you will learn evidence-based skills and interventions for improving organization and planning, managing distractibility, cognitive restructuring for adaptive thinking, and managing procrastination.