EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an effective psychotherapy approach that helps individuals process distressing memories and experiences and well as challenging core beliefs. This technique can be helpful for addressing a variety of mental health issues including anxiety and depression. It's particularly effective for those who have experienced trauma, whether it's a one-time event or ongoing trauma.

Midlife is a unique phase of life where we can feel pressures mount. As we achieve the things we worked towards in our younger years, we can face demands on all sides with parenting, caregiving for older relatives, and increasing responsibility at work. We can feel like we’ve lost ourselves trying to balance everyone else’s needs and not having enough time for ourselves. And, living in a post pandemic world has made this experience worse for many people, as many kids are still reeling with anxiety and mental health issues or educational gaps, older relatives may have had gaps in medical care, and the stress of uncertainty and changing work cultures has taken their toll. My clients journeying through midlife often report feeling the exhaustion that comes from being chronically on the go, always being a caregiver and not being cared for, or feeling overwhelmed at work. This exhaustion and lack of balance is better known as burnout.

In midlife we often come face to face with ways of coping that no longer serve us in difficult experiences, disappointments, or changes that we may not want to accept. Anger is a complex emotion that sometimes can be hard to know how to process and manage. It can be a gift that shows us our boundaries have been crossed. It is often a secondary emotion that we experience after feeling other painful emotions like sadness, fear, disappointment, guilt, or shame. And, anger is tied to our body’s natural stress response - fight, flight, or freeze - as it’s meant to prepare us to fight. However, fighting doesn’t always mean physical outbursts the way we tend to think about it initially. Anger doesn't have to lead to rage or outbursts to be a good reason to seek therapy.

Many individuals find themselves at the crossroads of midlife, facing a period commonly known as a midlife crisis. My clients often prefer to call this a midlife transition or journey. They tell me midlife can be a time for reinvention or reclaiming yourself, your time, and your energy from the demands of careers, relationships, and commitments that may no longer fit. It's a time marked by introspection, reevaluation of life's purpose, and a quest for renewed meaning. For some this time feels like a crisis and for others an awakening. Any way you define it, midlife an opportunity where you can feel called to become your "youiest" you, your whole self. Therapy can provide a guiding light on a journey that often has twists and turns. Therapy offers space for you to develop profound insights and support for navigating the challenges of midlife.

Reclaiming balance in life is an intentional and ongoing process. Reflect on your priorities, set boundaries, prioritize self-care, cultivate healthy relationships, and streamline commitments. By identifying these influences and taking proactive steps, you can embark on a journey to rediscover equilibrium and foster a more harmonious and fulfilling life. Remember, balance is not a destination but a continual pursuit, and each intentional choice brings you one step closer to a more balanced and meaningful existence.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), a formidable force in the realm of mental health, casts a shadow on the lives of those who grapple with its distressing symptoms. From paralyzing fear in social situations to the constant worry of judgment, SAD can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. This blog sheds light on the harrowing symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder and explores the transformative role therapy plays in alleviating its burden.

Imposter Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon and term used to describe the feelings of self-doubt and insecurity that can accompany success. Despite evidence to the contrary, including skills and hard work, people with imposter syndrome often feel they are unqualified or undeserving of their accomplishments. This can lead to a fear of being exposed as a fraud.

Sometimes people I talk to in consultations or about my practice wonder why I specialize in working with progressive parents. The term progressive often feels inherently political in the contentious times we live in. I welcome the questions people ask that usually sound like, “Are you focusing on political issues with clients?”. This is an honest question, and the short answer is, “Not unless it is important to my clients.

More often than not, the people I work with have heard of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), but many have not heard of CPTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The former is an official diagnosis that is recognized across health fields and insurance companies. CPTSD is not yet an official diagnosis, but our understanding is growing. For many clients, learning about the differences between these two related, but different, experiences can be deeply healing and can help them understand, accept, and manage their reactions to stressful situations.

Reaching out for help can be tough.  Lots of clients visit a counselor’s page many times before they actually reach out for a consultation or to schedule a first appointment. This relationship is important and you are trusting someone with your innermost thoughts, hopes, and emotions. My hope is that you will find a counselor that is a good fit for you (maybe that’s me!) and that you will find your counseling journey empowering.