My approach to counseling is collaborative. I like working with clients to find out what works best for them every step along the way. I help my clients tune into their feelings and needs so they can use their awareness to make clear choices supporting what is best for them.
I think it’s vital that people know how to regulate their nervous systems so they can get back to feeling calm enough to respond wisely, even when something happens that triggers them to react. There are many ways to do this, and I like to take time to explore regulation strategies in each session, so my clients can find out what works best for them and practice it with support.
I believe people are wired to need a safe connection with themselves and others. When people experience difficulty in their connections, in one way or another, it can profoundly impact how they get their needs for safety and connection met. My clients and I look for clues in their past to help make sense of what’s happening in the present. This doesn’t mean hours and hours of talking about your childhood; we can usually find patterns and themes in the first few sessions of working together.