What to Expect

Asking not “What happened?” but “What’s happening?”

A lot of therapy asks, “What happened?” This therapy is different. While it’s rooted in relevant content, it focuses on the process of what actually starts to happen when you try to deal with an experience of overwhelm, of anxiety, sadness, or separateness. My role is to help guide you to focus on this other area—what comes up in you when you feel the pain—and to look at those feelings and resulting actions without judgement, but instead with your inner heart-strength.

Curious, understanding, and nonjudgmental

When we feel disconnected, it’s natural to get stuck in patterns that push us further from our best selves. I help you slow down and get curious about what’s happening beneath the surface.

Organizing and orienting

We’ll notice the roles each part of you plays, explore what’s driving those parts, and work on experiencing and becoming aware of those parts in a way that helps you feel seen and known.

“Trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.”

– Gabor Mate

Compassionate

Whatever you have experienced that causes you suffering is worthy of compassion, from me and from yourself. At first this may seem beyond reach. Compassion may seem either impossible to receive or impossible to provide for your inner world. The inner judgement and negative regard may be very powerful. Together we can be curious about this and journey through it to a new experience.

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”

– Pema Chodron

Immersive and experiential

Talking about your struggles isn’t enough to heal from them; we have to feel through them. In our work together, I walk with you as you actually experience the emotions that drive your patterns, rather than just analyzing them. The goal is that this work doesn’t feel too overwhelming. I’ll help you navigate through at a pace that feels manageable, taking breaks when needed. This is deep work, but you don’t have to do it alone.