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MY APPROACH
I strive to provide compassionate and personalized care to all my clients. I stay away from the “One size fits all” practice and treat every client as unique as they are. My approach to therapy is client-centered, collaborative, non-pathologizing, and carefully tailored to each clients’ unique needs. If I were to highlight critical elements of my counseling style, I would identify my focus on clients’ strengths, acceptance, and overall positive perspective as foundational to my work.
In my personal life, my roles as a wife and a mother signify the core parts of my identity. I understand firsthand not only the joys but also the challenges of long-term committed relationships and parenting. By empowering clients to create happier relationships, I aim to meaningfully align my professional aspirations with personal values.
I am passionate about supporting couples in overcoming inevitable relationship challenges. In my work with couples, I employ my specialized training in Emotionally Focused Therapy and Gottman Method Couples Therapy. These esteemed methodologies are effective in reestablishing harmony and fostering deeper mutual understanding. With these tools, I will guide you in enhancing communication, fostering emotional intimacy, and creating a sense of emotional safety. This will allow you to engage with each other authentically and, as a result, experience increased relationship satisfaction.
I have completed level three training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Gottman Method Couples Therapy is a world-renowned approach based on decades of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman and their colleagues. This approach aims to enhance couples' closeness, improve conflict management, and create shared meaning.
In addition, I am trained and actively pursuing professional growth in Emotionally Focused Therapy. This approach was developed by one of the leading experts in the field of couples therapy, Dr. Sue Johnson. Emotionally Focused Therapy helps couples bring awareness to deeper emotional needs and teaches new patterns of interactions. It can enrich understanding and promote secure attachment between partners.
While I have a profound understanding and appreciation for both the Gottman Method and EFT, I am particularly drawn to the latter. I admire EFT’s emphasis on attachment as a universal human need and find its theoretical framework incredibly useful. As an EFT therapist, I am dedicated to helping my clients identify ineffective patterns, overcome negative cycles, and foster deeper emotional connections. If interested, you can learn more about these two methods here: Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Generally speaking, I view premarital counseling as a proactive way to address relationship challenges, develop an effective pattern of open communication, and get clear on the desired mutual future. Even though these are usually the underlying themes for premarital therapy, I invite my couples to steer the treatment toward what suits them best. Perhaps you want to focus on establishing healthy expectations for the extended family dynamics or need to discuss how to approach household responsibilities; you, as the couple, will guide the direction toward what is most beneficial.
In my approach to premarital counseling, I rely on the leading couples therapy theories, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method Couples Therapy. These therapeutic modalities are rooted in decades of research focused on fostering secure relationships. I have specialized training in both of these renowned couples therapy approaches and continue to seek professional development, deepening my expertise. These two frameworks help effectively navigate any topics you bring to premarital counseling, ultimately bringing awareness to deeper emotional needs and promoting closeness.
In summary, premarital therapy can foster a secure bond between partners and help ensure a strong foundation for your mutual future. If interested, you can learn more about these two methods here: Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
When working with children and families, I rely on the principles of Attachment Theory, Respectful/Mindful Parenting, and the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model to facilitate the improvement of family dynamics.
Attachment Theory promotes the parental ability to consistently and adequately meet a child’s needs. Research indicates that children who form secure attachments with their caregivers can develop healthy self-esteem and build strong relationships later in life. Likewise, parenting rooted in respect, gentleness, and authoritative guidance fosters favorable developmental outcomes, nurturing children to become self-reliant, empathetic, and resilient individuals. Lastly, the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model prioritizes cooperation and connection over control and obedience in order to foster collaborative problem-solving and family cohesiveness.
Simply said, I do not "fix" children. Instead, I work with the whole family and share tools that help family members better understand each other, encourage mutual respect, and improve family functioning. If interested, you can learn more about these frameworks here: Attachment-Based Family Therapy, Respectful/Mindful Parenting, Collaborative and Proactive Solutions.
In coparenting therapy, I utilize theories that promote effective communication, conflict resolution, and constructive dialog between the co-parents. The main idea of coparenting counseling that underscores all my sessions is grounding both parents in their shared desire to ensure their children’s safety and well-being. I aim to protect children's best interests by also relying on the principles of Attachment Theory, Respectful/Mindful Parenting, and Family Systems framework. These methodologies promote children’s secure attachment to caregivers, which is foundational for a child’s emotional, social, and cognitive development.
During our coparenting therapy sessions, I will guide you both in having important conversations about co-parenting strategies, discussing challenging topics, and navigating personal differences in the most constructive ways. I will aim to create a safe environment where both of you can openly share your concerns and bring out parenting-related disagreements without emotional attacks and heated exchanges.
Ultimately, coparenting therapy can help create a stable and supportive environment for your children. I hope to help you create a framework for consistent and collaborative parenting approaches across households. If interested, you can learn more about these frameworks here: Attachment Theory, Respectful/Mindful Parenting, Family Systems Therapy.
I am an LGBTQ+ ally. I aim to provide excellent therapeutic care to people of all backgrounds and sexual and gender identities.