Services
Therapy should never be a one-size fits all endeavor. Therapy is most successful when you form a trusting relationship with your therapist, when you can be honest and open, and when you feel ready to learn and practice new skills. I use an integrated form of therapy, with traditional cognitive-behavioral interventions to help you reach emotional stability and challenge negative thought patterns, as well as an "exploratory" or psychodynamic approach to help you gain lifelong insight into your strengths, weaknesses, and patterns of thought and behavior. New skills are often based on DBT, mindfulness, and ACT models.
I have an excellent track record earning the trust of teens and young adults
who are hesitant to engage in treatment.
I specialize in the following areas:
Emotional Dysregulation
Anxiety and Panic
Self harming Behaviors (such as cutting) and Suicidality
Adoption Issues
Please note that I do not work with:
Substance Abuse/Addiction
Custody Issues
Legal Issues
Aggressive or Violent Behavior
Specialties
Your First Visit
If you are the parent of a teen, you should plan to participate in the first visit with your child. Older teens and younger adults may wish to participate in their first session alone. If you are over 13 years old, you have many rights in the state of Washington that allow you to seek treatment alone. However, if your parent provides insurance and will pay for your fees, I will ask that your parents sign paperwork agreeing to financial obligations, and explaining confidentiality.
The first visit is intended to determine whether I am a good fit for your needs, and to gather enough information for us to collaboratively agree on treatment goals. This appointment is typically 55 minutes long. Occasionally, a second "intake" is necessary to gather adequate information to set goals and agree on a course of treatment.
Individual Therapy
Individual, weekly sessions are typically recommended if you are experiencing a high level of distress, or engaging in self harming behavior. Otherwise, we will agree together on the frequency of treatment. At first, therapy may feel like we are just getting to know one another, by talking and sometimes engaging in activities together. If you are ready learn new skills right away, therapy might focus on skills at first. I will pay close attention to what seems best for you, so that there is time for talk and time to build new skills.
Teens and most pre-teens will usually participate in individual sessions alone. Parents can be invited to participate as needed and appropriate, to help support new skills or to address communication issues within the home. Parents may contact me to ask questions and share important information, keeping in mind that my focus is on maintaining the privacy of my client (your child), which is necessary to create an atmosphere of trust.
Assessment
On occasion, I will recommend that you complete some assessment measures that may help to determine the course of treatment, help your prescribing MD manage your medication, or, if you are in school, help you and your school counselor make a plan for success.