Therapy Concerns
Anxiety
Have you found yourself with worries or fears that distract you from living fully? Do you feel it in your body (i.e. tense/rapid heart beat, sleeplessness)? You may be experiencing anxiety. There are excellent means to conquer these worries and it starts with asking for help. Common worries can include:
Fear of rejection/embarrassment.
Threat to your health.
Trauma or safety-threatening events.
Dire things happening to yourself or loved ones.
Obsessive or intrusive fear and doubt.
Relationship Issues
The heart of all healthy relationships is finding the balance between your needs/wants and their needs/wants. Therapy can be useful by:
Developing your assertiveness with others.
Self-compassion and accepting others and yourself.
Coping with the loss of a relationship.
Letting go of unhelpful shame and fear that limits your relationship satisfaction.
Problems with sexual performance.
Feeling securely attached to your partner.
Taking the time to rekindle empathy, enjoyment, and love again in a fast paced world.
Depression
Mood concerns are the “common cold” of psychology as many people experience them at one point or another in their lives. Therapy can help with these concerns by breaking patterns in your thinking or actions that keep you from feeling stuck. It can be hard to break this pattern, but I would welcome the chance to help you do so and live more fully. Have you noticed:
Feeling sad or more irritable.
Feelings seem out of control and more sensitive.
More trouble staying motivated or having fun.
Personal Growth
Personal growth is exactly that…personal. There isn’t a standard life path for everyone. We are each attempting to find our curving life path and maximize our potential along the way. I would be honored to guide you in that journey of learning more about yourself and being at peace with the aspects of who you are. Examples of personal growth concerns may include:
A successful career-driven woman/mother/wife/daughter/sister who learns that her self esteem is not defined by pleasing the needs of everyone around her simultaneously.
A young gay man who finds peace by integrating two seemingly contradictory parts of himself, his sexual identity and his spiritual values.
A middle-aged single woman who realizes her past negative experiences with men do not dictate her present. As such, she begins choosing partners who are truly trustworthy and is able to accept herself for who she is now.
A couple using food as a way of managing difficult emotions who discovers they are repeating patterns they learned from their own families. This prompts a mindful approach to change their lifestyle and activate new patterns for coping that feeds more than just their appetite.
Short-Term Counseling for Couples
At my Santa Rosa office, I provide short term in-person therapy for heterosexual and LGBTQ+ couples. Short-term refers to a limited number of appointments usually ranging between 4-8 sessions that works well for couples with mild to moderate concerns. A great deal of progress is possible in short term therapy if both members of the couple are engaged in the process and the clinician remains focused on the central goal of the therapy.
Sex Therapy Consultations
Male sexual problems can sometimes be addressed individually or with your partner. This is true in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships. We can discuss if a sex therapy consultation with your partner would be helpful or individually makes the most sense. These consultations are available in-person and remotely for California residents.
A current gold standard in addressing relationship problems for a couple is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). It helps to repair and deepen important connections in relationships that can be disrupted by each person's attempt to pursue or withdraw from emotionally challenging experiences. It works across different relationships with LGBTQ+ and heterosexual partners as it focuses on the common factors necessary in all close human relationships: a secure and safe attachment to your partner with a balance of independence and intimacy. Additionally I incorporate Solution Focused Therapy approaches which focus on making incremental changes in your interactions and communication as we work toward your collective relational goals.
Whether you are in a LGBTQ+ or heterosexual relationship, or if you are wondering if EFT, or a sex therapy consultation is right for you, please contact me for an initial consultation.
Psychotherapy Approaches
As a psychological treatment and health education coordinator, I have designed, implemented, and/or led a multitude of programs to help those with anxiety and mood concerns such as:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression, social anxiety, worry, panic, phobias, male sexual dysfunction, couple's communication problems, and impulse control problems
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Mindfulness and Acceptance Commitment Therapy skills for mood and anxiety management
Integrated Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) including Cognitive Processing Therapy, Exposure Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
Managing Stress and Anger
Strength-Based Positive Psychology Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) for moving toward your goals and having a more meaningful life
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) for depression and relationship concerns
Clinical Hypnotherapy for physical problems that have a psychological component
Since the research-proven effectiveness of therapy approaches varies depending on individual factors and diagnosis, please ask about any of the above approaches if you are wondering what might work best for your specific concerns.