About

Hi. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in Pennsylvania, though I prefer the term relationship therapist, as I also work with poly relationships and when working with individuals, I use the vantage point that we are always in relationships - to ourselves, family, friends, religion, culture, works, etc. etc. I also see clients for sex therapy and am a member of professional organizations for both of these facets of my work. Outside of therapy I am a yoga and meditation instructor and this can inform the therapy I do through Mindfulness if that is of interest to you.
I work from the perspective that you are the expert on yourself, and I see my role as one of supporting the direction that you choose and providing the insight I have as a person outside your situation. This means I can provide a long view throughout the process of therapy and be an active part of any changes in direction that you need as therapy evolves. Collaboration is one of the keys to successful therapy. Supporting means providing a safe space to discuss and say what you need to without fear of me invalidating you or cutting you down. This trust in the relationship will allow you to take the risks necessary to chart a new course forward. The work we do will also be a part of building your own confidence and seeing yourself more completely.
I tend to work from an eclectic background of therapy styles, but am generally rooted in Emotionally Focused Therapy - using feeling words and learning to be vulnerable with yourself to be that with others. I also draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and change negative thinking. Solution-Focused Therapy is more short-term, but elements of it work well across the course of therapy.