as quoted in Psychology Today…

Psychotherapy Services

New Chapters And Old Beliefs

Change may be inevitable but that doesn’t mean it’s comfortable. Transitions are life’s way of telling us it’s time to reexamine our present way of being. They force us to develop and grow as individuals.

During these times we can feel off-balance. The ground beneath our feet rumbling like an earthquake. Sometimes we find only tiny cracks and small fissures. Other times we uncover gaping holes and seismic upheavals.

Our expectations entrap us. The ”shoulds” and “musts,” the demands we tell ourselves or place on those around us. We allow our thoughts and feelings to create havoc in our minds dictating these thoughts as truths when actually, they’re not reality at all. Where are the facts for these thoughts?

two signs - "old life" and "new life"

“You will not grow if you sit in a beautiful flower garden, but you will grow if you are sick, if you are in pain, if you experience losses, and if you do not put your head in the sand, but take the pain as a gift to you with a very, very specific purpose.”

― The Mouthpiece of the Spirit
as quoted to Elizabeth Lesser in Broken Open

Why Come See Me?

Storms in life are expected. Some are ordinary rain storms while others are tornadoes of epic proportions. In order to survive them intact we need psychological flexibility. I’ll help you strive for openness, acceptance, the possibility for failure and a willingness to be vulnerable.
How long does therapy take?
That depends on several factors, the most important being your commitment to doing the hard work along with practicing in between sessions. I might guess 12 sessions is an average length, but again it’s up to the individual.
Do you make us do homework?
I can’t make you do anything, but I will give you some things to practice in between sessions. Whether you do them or not is up to you. Think about it like learning a musical instrument. It takes time and practice until you feel comfortable and ‘good at it.’
What kind of skills will I learn?
I’ll teach you skills that will help you handle difficult thoughts and feelings causing things like anxiety and depression more effectively to reduce their impact and influence over your life. These include things like mindfulness, acceptance, emotion regulation, effective communication and other skills to get you out of your head and into your life.