| Site Last Updated: August, 2009
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the East Bay (with offices in both Lafayette & San Ramon, California).
Here are some of the issues I can help you with:
Common Couples Therapy Issues
- De-Escalating Conflict / Getting Unstuck
- Understanding the cycle/pattern of repetitive arguing
- Having your partner hear/understand those moments when you felt abandonned by him/her
- Regaining secure attachment with your partner
- Finding or Re-Finding the passion
- Getting back to (or experiencing for the first time) loving conversations
- Discovering new ways of communicating your needs
- Heading off arguments before they become painful and hurtful
- Finding ways of talking about sex, finances, in-laws, intimacy, and other sensitive topics
- Infertility / Adoption Issues
- And...for separating/divorcing couples: Exploring ways of separating with love and compassion, and even successful co-parenting after the breakup of the marriage or partnership
Individual Therapy Issues
- Depression & Anxiety
- Stress/Trauma
- Panic Attacks
- OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- Phobias (including Social Phobias)
- Life transitions
- Post-Partum Depression
- Existential issues (what's my life about? where is the meaning? is this all there is? why do these things keep happening to me?)
- Intimacy/communication problems
- Desire to create more satisfying relationships
- Chronic pain or illness
- Self-esteem issues
- Grief / Bereavement
Teen & Family Therapy Issues
- Self-esteem
- Peer pressure
- Parent-Teen communication meltdowns
- Empty-Nest Issues
- Anxiety/Depression in Adolescents and Families
- Self-Mutilation, including cutting
- School related problems
- Social difficulties
How to Select a Therapist
If you're here, I would imagine you're wondering, 'how do I choose a therapist that's the right match for me?' Indeed -- finding "the right therapist for you" can be a daunting process. So, let me tell you more about how I work, in order to help you get a feel for my style and experience. See if it sounds like a fit for you.
Interactive Sessions. More Than Just 'How Does That Make You Feel?'
I'm a very interactive therapist, which means that a lot happens in a single session. You won't get just a lot of head nodding from me. I keep things moving along, edging towards your goals, and calling you on things that are in conflict with what you say you want. You and I will both work hard during our sessions together, and you'll leave my office with plenty to think about and explore.
At the Same Time...
I work in an empathic, supportive manner, creating safety for you to talk about even the most difficult topics.
My Theoretical Orientation
I believe that we are hard-wired for secure attachment to others. Thus, it's not surprising that symptoms develop when those attachments are tenuous or unreachable. Whether it's the anxiety of being alone, a key moment in time when you counted on someone and they weren't there for you, an unmet desire to connect with others in your peer group, the death/loss of someone important to you, or the steady decline of a relationship -- these "loss" events can have great impact. Attachment is our most primal need; the need to be heard, to be seen, to be understood, and to feel that we matter to the important people in our lives. When these things aren't happening, our relationships become unbalanced, and our symptoms increase.
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