TRAUMA

I define trauma as that which overwhelms one’s capacity to cope.  Whether you have experienced a single life event (such as an assault, accident or natural disaster), multiple events (such as bullying, emotional, sexual or physical abuse), or the cumulative trauma of racism, misogyny, ableism, homo/transphobia, I will work with you to process the experiences, develop an integrated sense of identity, reestablish a sense of connectivity, and foster your inner dynamism and resiliency.  I have been working with trauma survivors for over fifteen years and am trained in a variety of methods to help you work through these overwhelming life experiences in order to feel safe in the world again or for the first time. 

GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT

The death of a loved one can turn your world upside down. Having personally survived both the suicide and sudden death of loved ones, I have first hand experience with the journey to recovery. Working through the roller coaster of emotions, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, feelings of disconnectedness, I will help you reach a place of acceptance. This does not mean that your sadness about the loss will ever go away, but that life without your loved one can be more tolerable, and even fulfilling.

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Most of us have experienced feelings of anxiety and depression in our lives.  Whether it is a reaction to a life event or it creeps up on you unnoticed until you are debilitated, both depression and anxiety can interfere with work, relationships, and general enjoyment of life.  Depending on the type of anxiety or depression, I will often use a cognitive behavioral approach to help you stop ruminating on negative and fear-based thoughts and help you re-engage with the world.  Therapy is a space to identify how these emotions are affecting your life and to learn how to create change such that you have a renewed sense of acceptance of your past and power to shape your future. 

LGBTQ ISSUES

I have extensive exposure to the LGBTQ population both in my clinical work, personal life, and through activism.  I am starkly aware of the challenges LGBTQ individuals face in familial, academic, professional and social settings.  I approach treatment with an emphasis on trauma, anxiety, and/or depression informed by experiences of external and internalized homo-bi-trans-phobia.  My approach is collaborative with an emphasis on identifying various types of structural oppression and promoting wholeness and self-acceptance. 

RELATIONSHIP THERAPY

I work with couples of all genders and sexualities. I offer a stable and nonjudgmental space for couples to explore conflict, miscommunication, and feeling misunderstood, to develop more effective communication, trust, compassion and the ultimate goal of feeling loved. We all bring old attachment patterns into intimacy, and it is useful (at times essential) to uncover destructive patterns and pave new paths of connection and support. I work with relationships at all stages and have many years of experience working with couples of diverse genders and sexualities.

CREATIVE BLOCKS

Los Angeles is a nexus of creative energy and draws the most talented individuals to engage with their creative processes.  Sometimes we get stuck or blocked.  With a background in theater and writing, I can help you identify what is getting in the way and reignite your creative process, allowing ideas and feelings to flow freely.

ADDICTION

Substance use was once a solution that has now become its own problem.  Underlying all addictions is a great deal of pain and suffering.  In my extensive work with addiction I have used a variety of methods to help individuals identify the source of their addictive impulses and process the painful emotions, as well as to overcome the destructive behaviors and patterns that mark the addiction.