Counseling for Anxiety
During the Transition to Motherhood
My Philosophy
Everyone has the ability to heal
One definition of healing is "to make whole". To me, healing is picking up the parts of you and your life that feel broken, in the wake of illness, prolonged stress, or caregiving burnout, and recreate a life that is fulfilling, peaceful and happy. Although the physical body cannot always be cured, people can still heal emotionally, heal relationships, and improve their quality of life despite their physical circumstances.
You can feel better, and therapy can help
even with your physical symptoms)
People might initially come to therapy seeking help with their emotional pain, but not realize that therapy can actually help with their physical pain and other symptoms. The mind-body connection runs deep and there are a variety of ways to access this connection and use it to your advantage, to feel better both physically and mentally.
Positive things can come from difficult situations
Many people who have faced struggles, such as serious illness, and made it to the other side will say something to the effect of "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, but I also wouldn't change a thing". This is because successfully navigating difficult times, healing yourself and your life, and learning new more positive ways of coping with difficulties, can help your life to feel even more balanced and fulfilling than before your challenge.
Stress Management is central to healing
Illness, and caring for someone who is ill, are inherently stressful. When the body is under stress, it is designed to ramp up some physical systems (like the heart and lungs and slow down others (like digestion). When the stress is nonstop and the body can't recover, these systems don't return to their optimal functioning and you can get related physical symptoms. I work initially to help you calm down your whole system through CBT and mindfulness and help you take concrete action on other parts of your life that might be causing you stress and taxing your mind-body system.
Collaboration is key to good outcomes
When we work together, I want to be part of your healing team. I think that by collaborating with both your doctors as well as any complementary providers that we can both improve your treatment as well as insure that it is truly holistic. Since I have extensive experience in healthcare settings, I am comfortable in this role and can also help you to be better able to advocate for yourself with all of your providers.
About me
I have been fascinated with the mind-body connection for a long time, and I have always had the idea that I would in some way be helping people in my chosen career. In high school I thought I might want to be a physical therapist or speech therapist. When I got to college and took a psychology course on a whim, I felt like I had found my path. When I found out there was a whole branch of psychology that looked at this connection, health psychology, I knew I was in the right place.
I went on to get my master's in social work with a focus on health care. I loved working in health care because it is literally something that affects everyone at some point in their lives. I've seen heartwarming and heartbreaking things in my work and its been an honor to help people through their journey. I've also seen how patient's and family's lives are affected by serious illness and how working on the emotional coping can have a dramatic impact on their experience. My goal in opening my private psychotherapy practice was to help people use the mind-body connection, and their personal strengths to navigate the healing path through illness, anxiety, caregiving and the transition to parenthood.
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Psychotherapy is a Partnership
The power of therapy comes from the collaboration and the combined effort of therapist and client.
If you are ready to do the healing work,I am here to help you make a plan and give you the tools to succeed.
If you are ready to be open and honest, I am here to provide a safe and nonjudgmental space to express yourself.
If you are ready to transform your excuses into actions, I am here to support your hard work
If you are ready to consider new ideas, I am here to give you a different perspective on things.
If you are ready to put yourself first, and learn how to love and care for yourself, I am ready to teach you how.
If you are ready to take the first step, I am here to guide you the rest of the way.
If you feel ready to talk, please go to my contact page and request your free phone consultation.