When people ask what approach I take in working with my clients, there are a few words and phrases that I find best describe my style. In working with my clients, I strive to fully embody these approaches while helping the client and their family reach the goals we set for treatment.  Each of these descriptions align with my theoretical orientation that guides my practice in providing evidenced-based, ethical, therapeutic practice.

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• Systemic Approach--I seek to address a client's challenges not only on the individual level, but also explore their relationships, interactions of groups, and their interactional patterns and dynamics.  This gives a much more complex and broader perspective to the challenges faced by a client and their family and in my perspective, creates longer lasting, deeper change many clients seek.

• Attachment Based--Whether I am working with a child or adult, in my approach, I find it very important to explore the relationships that helped form our sense of self.  Our earliest relationships can help develop our patterns in our current relationships and how we view the world.  When working on attachment based needs, I utilize principles from Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and focus on being playful, accepting, curious, and empathetic. To find out more on DDP, see my Resources page.

• Humanistic and Client Centered--You are the expert on you and your family.  Being humanistic and client centered means this is a collaborative relationship where I take the role as a guide through your journey, right by your side.  I have unconditional positive regard for all my clients, have a strength based perspective, and look at the whole person and family when helping find solutions.

• Solution Focused--Being Solution Focused means I follow several principles when working with a client.  These are major tenets of Solution Focused Therapy that guide my practice when choosing interventions and planning treatment goals.  These tenets are as follows:

  • The language for solution development id different than the language needed to describe the problem

  • No problem happens all the time; there is always an exception that can be utilized 

  • The future is both created and negotiable

  • The solution is not necessarily directly related to the problem

  • If it's not working, do something different

  • If it works, do more of it

  • If it isn't broken, don't fix it

  • Small steps can lead to big changes