Psychotherapy / Counseling
In my private psychotherapy practice, I have the honor and joy to help fellow life-travelers clear up their situation and views regarding their journey and their relationships. I believe we can all tap into our innate wisdom and clarity. Sometimes we just need some help to become aware and manage our past experiences, shedding what no longer serves us, creatively accepting what we cannot change, and taking responsibility for our future intentions and actions.
“Why do I feel so dissatisfied with my life?” “Why do the same patterns and problems seem to repeat themselves in so many of my relationships?” “Why do I seek refuge in objects, food, alcohol, drugs, or other unhealthy pursuits?”
Developing awareness is essential for living a more satisfying and fulfilling life. Awareness of unexamined patters - mental and behavioral - and how they align, or don’t, with our needs. These are often muddled, either from years of repression or from the lack of good mirroring. Oftentimes, we've spent so much energy trying to please others for the wrong reasons, that we are not aware of ourselves. Habits appear which may block us, further hindering our enjoyment of life. Bored, we seek satisfaction in empty diversions.
With effective, compassionate psychotherapy, mindfulness grows, the patters become clear and we can then choose how to keep them or to let them go. This allows us to see that we have choices we were not aware of before.
Becoming friends with ourselves is primary in understanding and repairing our relationships, since we begin to interact from a clear position and with healthy boundaries.
We can work together and find solutions, once we identify the true problems.
Common issues we examine in therapy include
Anxiety, depression
Low energy
Anger, disappointment, hurt
Trauma and disassociation
Low self-esteem and self-worth
Relationship difficulties and boundary setting
Counseling differs from psychotherapy, as is apparent from the word itself... the role of the counselor is to advise and guide, rather than to walk with and co-discover, as in therapy. Counseling is incredibly helpful when we are dealing with a specific problem. The knowledge and experience of the counselor can help us deal with the situation in new and creative ways.
In my own counseling practice I combine my Gestalt training, Family Systems processes, Neurology, Meditation, Coaching Theory, and whatever other tools I have to create the changes my clients are looking for.
The most common issues we look at in counseling include
Stress
Overactive thinking
Professional relationship issues
Creating more joy and satisfaction in life
You can read some of my reflections and personal experiences about therapy, counseling, and the human condition on my blog.