explore. connect. integrate

TRADITIONAL VS ECLECTIC APPROACHES: That’s the way some people think about this. This versus that. It needn’t be this way. Different approaches can work well at different times, and a one-size-fits-all therapist, even a great therapist, isn’t necessarily the best therapist to meet your needs.

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MY BACKGROUND WITH DIFFERENT APPROACHES: I am trained in traditional modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, psychodynamic therapy, family systems, as well as trauma-informed therapies such as Seeking Safety and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I’m also a Registered Art Therapist (ATR). Increasingly I have pursued training in more somatically-oriented therapeutic practices such as Somatic Experiencing. I am also taking an introduction to Organic Intelligence with Steven Hoskinson, called The End of Trauma, and will be taking a series of therapeutic touch skills workshops with Kathy Kain in 2020. But the reality is that if you’re wanting to work with a therapist near you, it’s often less about the specific therapeutic modality and more about the feeling you have when working together. When I was looking for a psychotherapist near me, I wanted a therapist with a Jungian background, but the connection between me and the therapist was the key deciding factor. The best therapists near me were the ones I could feel a connection with. 

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HOLISTIC THERAPY IN LOS ANGELES: Not all kinds of therapy are equally helpful for specific individuals. A single form of therapy, while potentially helpful, may not address the variety of layers that are present in some kinds of challenges. That’s why I like to take a holistic approach to therapy. But a holistic approach doesn’t mean careless or unthinking. It means treating you as a whole person, from start to finish, and discovering with you what kinds of therapy work best. Sometimes, that might not be therapy at all…

WELLNESS COACHING IN LOS ANGELES: It’s challenging to clearly differentiate wellness coaching from psychotherapy. Depending on the kind of therapy someone practices, coaching and therapy can be very similar or wildly different from each other. Ultimately, my hope is to offer what is helpful. Of course, I can’t know what will be helpful as we’re starting out. So we’ll try different approaches to therapy and see what feels right. Or, if you prefer, we can explore more of a coaching style, with very clear goals set at the beginning, and suggestions from me as we go along. Ultimately, we’d work together depends on what works for you and what feels right to both of us.

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TRAUMA: People come to see me for many different reasons. Sometimes the reasons are related to trauma. There is no one definition of trauma that is relevant for everyone, or that makes sense to everyone. One way to understand trauma is that it’s an experience of overwhelm that you weren’t able to digest at the time it was experienced—so it still has a detrimental or limiting effect on your life today. Good therapy for trauma will help you be with reality more fully, more joyfully, with greater freedom. However you define it, addressing trauma doesn’t only have to be challenging, it can also be an opportunity for deep and meaningful learning—learning that will help you be more yourself and experience more fulfilling connections with others and the world.

TRAUMA THERAPY IN SANTA MONICA AND WEST HOLLYWOOD: I lead trainings in trauma-informed care for the community health center I work for. But on a more personal level, I’ve been drawn to therapy that directly and intelligently addresses trauma with care. Sometimes, just diving into challenges makes sense, but often trauma acts as a kind of siren song, calling people deeper and deeper into suffering. For that reason, I am mindful of using a gradual approach whenever it seems helpful.

ANXIETY AND STRESS: Anxiety and stress are facts of life. The goal of therapy needn’t be to eliminate them. That would be impossible. Instead, the two goals of minimizing unnecessary stress and anxiety, and developing a friendly relationship with them, tend to be much more helpful. What do I mean by a friendly relationship with stress and anxiety? Feelings of stress and anxiety are your reaction to various internal and external circumstances. The point is that even if you don’t like them, they are your feelings, and it’s much healthier to develop a positive relationship rather than an adversarial relationship with yourself, and parts of yourself, including your feelings.

ANXIETY THERAPY IN WEST HOLLYWOOD AND SANTA MONICA: So many of the challenges people face day to day are related to anxiety and stress. If you’re wanting a therapist for anxiety or a psychotherapist for stress who is in Santa Monica or West Hollywood, there may be a number of good therapists who can provide counseling that will really support you. Sometimes talking about root problems, sometimes addressing current practical challenges, sometimes exploring through art or other forms of creativity, sometimes focusing on what you really care about, sometimes having support at the nervous system or somatic level, sometimes just having someone really listen to you—all of these and more can serve to reduce anxiety and help you develop a better relationship with any anxiety you may experience.

COUPLES COUNSELING IN LOS ANGELES: If you’re looking for a great couple’s therapist in Los Angeles, I highly recommend that you meet with potential therapists in person. That way, you and your partner can get a feel for the dynamics that emerge and make a decision together about how you’d like to move forward. For couple’s therapy to work, it’s important that both of you feel good about this decision. Fortunately, couples counseling in Los Angeles can be what you need it to be. If you live in Los Angeles, you have a wealth of potential therapists who can provide support. It’s worth taking your time to find the best therapist in Los Angeles not just for you, but for both of you.

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY IN LOS ANGELES: Similar to couples looking for therapy, individuals wanting therapy in Los Angeles often will do well to meet with several therapists before choosing a particular therapist. There are so many options here, it can feel challenging. But a little persistence in the beginning can have a hugely positive effect on your experience as well as the outcomes you’re likely to have. Individual therapy can be so profoundly healing that it’s worth that extra time and effort at the beginning to find the connection that really serves you.