Therapy
Many of us go through hardships that negatively impact the way we relate to ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Without the help that we need, we may suffer, become isolated, or lack a sense of belonging and purpose. In my personal work in therapy, I found the resolve, connection, and meaning that I needed to live my life fully and wholeheartedly. When I reflect on how and why therapy was so helpful, I come up with two essential parts: a close bond with my therapist in tandem with their goal for me to become my own biggest advocate.
Of course, in working with my own clients as a therapist, I have seen the very same to be true. The heart of our work is relational, and we utilize our relationship, among other dimensions of treatment rooted in attachment and mindfulness, as catalysts for change. Trust and mutual respect set the stage for us to understand and untangle the threads of one’s story and to recover a sense of dignity, ownership, and desire.
Overall, I think of therapy as a salve for the heart and strive deeply to help clients feel truly seen, heard, and felt. I utilize empathy, compassion, and attunement to explore wounds and aftereffects that are consciously and unconsciously affecting the present moment. Within the therapeutic relationship and our newfound awareness, we begin making simpler changes that result in a day-to-day sense of clarity, sanity, and wellbeing and provide those aha moments that fuel deeper, long-term change.
Experience
I have worked in the field for the past seven years in a variety of roles and settings. I’ve been able to treat clients in residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and substance use programs. I have also completed over 200 hours of additional substance use education, 250 hours of Yoga teacher training, and have enjoyed leading workshops and courses on boundaries, codependency, healing the inner child and more. I am in the process of completing a certificate on Violence, Loss and Trauma through Marshall University, WV.
I am committed to being culturally sensitive and providing inclusive care. Working through my own experience of privilege and biases as a white-heterosexual male is part of that and I prioritize both educating myself and being open to feedback in my work and personal life.
Modalities
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT identifies negative thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors and aims to change them in a way that is more productive and reality-focused.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT helps clients by practicing acceptance rather than avoidance, oberserving internal states and behavior, and taking value-focused action.
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Internal Family Systems
IFS focuses on identifying various parts of ourselves and understanding the conflict between them. Through IFS, clients learn to become their own therapist to their internal system which results in internal harmony.
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Somatic-Experiencing Therapy
Somatic-Experiencing Therapy is a body-centered therapy that heals and shifts one’s body on a cellular level that results in a change of one’s mind/body response patterns.
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Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a form of therapy that increases one’s awareness around thoughts, emotions, body sensations, surroundings, and situations to decrease automatic responses.
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Phased-Based Trauma Approach
The Phase-Based Trauma Approach is a trauma-informed practice that focuses on establishing safety and stability before processing and integrating traumatic memories.
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Attachment-Based Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy looks at one’s response patterns to early relationships and how it has affected beliefs and interactions within the world. The relationship between therapist and client is a catalyst for healing these internal wounds.
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Emotionally-Focused Therapy
EFT is an evidence-based couples therapy that focuses on the root of the issue being each partner’s emotional experience. EFT helps couples change their listening and communication patterns and increase emotional intimacy.