Therapeutic approach

What is therapy?

Therapy can be defined in a plethora of different ways; a space for internal reflection, a space to examine or change your relationship with yourself or others, to shift emotions, thoughts, or actions, a space for “healing” such as processing trauma or loss, ect. Individual therapy is one avenue someone can take on a path toward their mental health goals. There is no one size fits all model of therapy.

What are you looking for?

It can be helpful to have an idea of what your hopes are for therapy as you look for a therapist to embark on the journey with you.

Choosing a therapist

The relationship you build with your therapist is as important as the theoretical frameworks they use. It can take time to feel comfortable, brave, confident to embark on the sometimes scary and painful journey towards change. Considering the therapist’s identities, values, and theoretical orientations can provide useful information for you to help decide who to work with.

Framing Therapy

I frame therapy as a collaborative space to explore and experiment with the possibilities of change.

Change can be tangible:

Getting more sleep,

Balancing a schedule,

Finding ways to be more involved in the community,

Using substances in a more sustainable way,

Getting surgery,

etc.

Change can be more subtle:

Building confidence,

Experiencing new emotions,

Creating new connections,

Sharing your history in a new way,

etc.

Acknowledgement

It can be incredibly scary to begin therapy (or begin again), and even more so if you have experienced harm in the medical or mental health industrial complex. I encourage folk to take as long as they need to open up and build trust, as safety is not inherent in the field of therapy.

I acknowledge the harmful and appropriative history of psychotherapy, social work and the mental health industrial complex’s framing of “wellness,” especially for folk who hold identities or experiences such as BIPOC, LGBTQIAP2, HIV+, Kinky, Poly, have a disability, are houseless, use substances, have previous mental health or medical diagnoses, have faced incarceration, don’t have documentation, have faced boarders, and so many more valuable identities and lived experiences.

I strive to create a collaborative space that centers your expertise of yourself, your individual strengths, intergenerational wisdom, and community supports.

Please explore the About section to learn more about my identities, values and theoretical orientations.