People have fascinated me all my life. I love understanding how people think, how they experience the world, and what makes each person who they are. A systems thinker with strong intuition, I tend to recognize patterns and make connections quickly. Curiosity, humor, creativity, and genuine affection for people are all part of how I work.
My approach is active and collaborative, drawing primarily on two complementary experiential models: Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Complex Integration of Multiple Brain Systems (CIMBS). In our sessions, we work with the fear, shame, guilt, and old ways of coping that get in the way of our ability to move toward the lives we want. As those obstacles fall away, healthy feelings and impulses can begin to guide us naturally.Â
Central to my approach is seeing people as they actually are. I especially enjoy working with gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) people, a group I belong to myself. Understanding and accepting the reality of who we are is not a barrier to profound change; it's what makes profound change possible.
Biology matters, too. Sleep, hormones, medical conditions, and other aspects of physical health impact our wellbeing and functioning. Sometimes medication can make an enormous difference. We make decisions about medication together, with the aim of using as little medication as necessary without missing opportunities for it to help.
My style is direct, honest, and deeply engaged, and at times, relentless. I care deeply about the people I work with, and there is something extraordinary about watching someone begin to live the life they want without having to fight themselves to do it.