Many people who consider starting work with a psychotherapist face three questions. What is psychotherapy? How does it work? And most importantly… What can it do for me?
Psychotherapy is a place where you can talk about your problems with someone who’s on your side. This person listens to you with compassion, understanding and acceptance. In discussing your experiences, we examine them from both the content level and the emotional level, working to see patterns that exist in how you relate to yourself and others. We study different aspects of your experience, including your thoughts, feelings, memories, impulses, sensations in your body, and spirituality. What can it do for you? It can help resolve long-standing dilemmas, whether they’re relationship issues with partners, family members, or friends, as well as your relationship with yourself. One of the key goals of psychotherapy is to assist with your feeling more comfortable in your own skin, in addition to feeling safer, both inside and out in the world.
Clients tell me they appreciate my interactive and supportive, results-oriented style. I can help you heal issues from the past, and resolve present-day problems, using highly effective holistic techniques, including: The Hakomi method – a mindfulness and somatic/body-centered therapy; Gestalt – a powerful way of exploring core feelings that are present in the moment; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – identifying and changing negative thoughts and behaviors that cause us distress; Strength-Based/Positive Psychology – building upon our existing strengths and resources; Somatic Experiencing (SE) – a body-centered approach to calming the effects of some past trauma; and the Humanistic Psychodynamic Approach – in which we examine patterns that were formed in the past to protect, but no longer serve us in the present. I am also certified in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), which is a highly effective and time-efficient method for resolving the negative effects of past trauma or PTSD. Having been in the counseling field for over 15 years, and having done a lot of my own personal psychotherapy, I bring a wealth of heart and experience into my work with my clients.
Trainings & Education:
I am a Certified EMDR Therapist. Additionally, I have trained in Somatic Experiencing, which has given me a deepened understanding of how trauma is held in the body and how to more effectively work with it. In addition to my Master’s in Counseling, I studied the Hakomi Method for four years. Before that, I participated in the extensive training program provided by San Francisco Sex Information (SFSI) and worked on their phone lines. My previous profession was teaching English as a Second Language, having earned my Master’s in that subject area and taught recent immigrants at San Francisco City College and Golden Gate University. My undergraduate education was in Asian Studies at UC Berkeley, including a year of study in Japan.
Areas of Focus with Adult Individuals:
• Anxiety & Stress
• Past Trauma and PTSD
• Relationship/Intimacy
• Sexuality
• Self-Esteem
• Men’s issues
• Life & Career Coaching/Mentoring
• Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual
• Life Transitions
• Grief, Loss, and Dying
• Spirituality
• Cross-Cultural issues
• Workplace issues
• Depression and Loneliness
