Therapeutic Approach
My training is rooted in Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist studies. Sessions are guided from a place of bringing mindful awareness to the present moment. While we may be talking about what's happening "out there", we will work to stay with ourselves in the now. This isn't always an easy task, it requires practice, patience and a lot of self-compassion. Those of us with trauma can especially struggle when a stress response arises. The habitual tendency to dissociate, distract, avoid, or mask discomfort can be strong! This isn't a problem, our bodies are wise and know how to protect us, keep us "safe". Building trust and a felt-sense of safety in therapy takes time, this is okay and welcomed.
To support your process, healing, and growth, I bring an eclectic mix of evidence-based and "non-traditional" therapeutic approaches depending on your goals, while adapting with you each session. Some folx want to focus on more intensive trauma processing through the use of EMDR, others may want to simply talk while doodling or playing with fidget toys and sensory objects. I offer guided meditations, body scans, visualizations, and teach somatic regulation practices. Some people who are more analytical or visual processors might take time map out and color-code issues they're working on. Others, especially folx who identify as Neurodivergent, Autistic, HSP/Empath, can feel more at ease when opportunities arise to spend time outdoors . This could be taking my dog "Roo" for a walk around the office neighborhood, or arranging to meet at the Laughing Buck Farm Non-profit, located in northern Fort Collins to groom and spend time with the equines.
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However we choose to "do therapy", you will inevitably be moving towards​ coming back into contact with who you really are, underneath the history painful experiences, internalized oppression, social conditioning, and self-narratives that are no longer true... It is my heartfelt desire to assist you to a "place" in yourself where there becomes more space to breathe, to rest into moments that used to be too much. You deserve and are worthy of reclaiming a sense of contentment, hope, excitement, and joy for life.
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