Successful therapy requires a counselor who’s the correct fit for you as an individual, in terms of both their personality and experience.
Unfortunately some of my clients previously had bad experiences with other therapists, or it was just the wrong personality fit, and they were pleasantly surprised to see how different therapy feels when you find someone who is exactly right for you.
To help you get a feel for my personality, I can share that long-term clients have described me as genuine, very direct, nonjudgmental, strategic, intuitive, practical, and funny. I believe in the value of humor as a tool in counseling and use it often. I am not the type of therapist who just sits back and listens, I talk a lot. I strive to help my clients define what a life well-lived means to them, and how to achieve that goal in a realistic, balanced way.
In general I utilize a cognitive-behavioral, strengths-based, and family systems framework in counseling. All of these approaches are very solution-focused.
For couples and marriage counseling I have training in the Gottman approach. This approach focuses on nurturing intimacy, increasing the frequency of positive interactions and communication, the use of humor, and respect and friendship within your relationship.
When working with adult children of narcissistic parents and partners of narcissists I utilize a five-step recovery model developed by Dr. Karyl McBride, a narcissism expert and author of the books ‘Will I Ever Be Good Enough? – Healing The Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers’ and ‘Will I Ever Be Free of You?’ This recovery model can be helpful for both men and women. I am certified in this model.
Cognitive-Behavioral techniques focus on the process of how our thinking patterns lead to particular feelings and behaviors. Sometimes our perception may be somewhat distorted or limited. By examining different perspectives, re-framing your thinking, and learning new tools and habits you can positively influence how you feel and behave.
Strengths-Based counseling utilizes a strong focus on the positive things that exist within your life as well as the inherent skills, strengths, and resources that you already possess. It helps you to use those skills as building blocks to better tackle challenges in a new way.
Family Systems theory views individuals as being best understood within the context of their family and relationships. The roles, beliefs, feelings, and communication patterns that people adopt are strongly influenced by those close to them. Families and couples also sometimes have a natural tendency to resist change. A family systems approach examines and works to improve how families and couples communicate, make decisions, set boundaries, and manage emotions and conflict.