About
I’m in therapy.
“What? You’re a therapist, and you need to go to therapy? How on earth are you going to help me with my problems, if you can’t even cope with your own?!”
Here’s the thing: I don’t need to go to therapy…
and neither do you.
It’s a choice. A powerful, life-changing choice.
You could just keep bebopping along in your life (having made it thus far) hoping that things will get better, feel better… eventually. But will they?
Or you could vent to friends, family, or whoever listens and maybe feel a little relief after doing so – for about two seconds! Sound familiar?
Or you could choose a better way.
You could choose therapy.
I go to therapy for the same reason that I practice it.
There’s nothing more sacred and worthwhile than taking the time to understand, empower, and embrace ourselves so that we may blossom out into the world with grace and ease.
Can you imagine that?
Close your eyes for a moment and picture this – an inner space of calm, an unforced sense of strength. Now be quiet and listen – just for a moment.
What did you notice? How did it feel to allow yourself to close your eyes, even for a moment? Did it feel strange? Scary? Relaxing? Peaceful?
Learning how to have a safe and trusting relationship with yourself is the path forward to experiencing life in a radically different way in which, regardless of the circumstances you encounter along the way, you can navigate them knowing that you will ultimately be okay.
Can you imagine?
Yes, but…”
“I just need help getting my daughter to stop being disrespectful.” “I just need my partner to care more about me.” “I just need help losing weight and feeling attractive.” “I just want to stop feeling so anxious.”
“I just need you to help me solve my problem! This ‘self stuff’ sounds fine and dandy, but how is it going to help me with my problem?”
Glad you asked!
Problem solving is an integral part of our work together.
I don’t have an emotional stake in your life (and that doesn’t mean I don’t care!), and I’m well trained and experienced in understanding the complexity of human emotions and behavior.
My objectivity and training allow me to offer you a powerful perspective along with the skills you need to tackle the issues in your life.
Looking for lasting change? Genuine freedom from your difficulties?
Longing to become more self-aware? To step away from your self-protective behaviors? To improve the way you engage with others?
Get ready for a worthwhile exploration!
You’ve heard the old cliché, “You can’t change others; you can only change how you respond to others.”
I would make an important addition: “You can’t change others, but you can change yourself, and that will mean that others will need to change how they respond to you!”
Therein lies your magical super power in bringing about greater harmony in your life. And that is the “self stuff.”
Ava, our therapy partner
A truly kind soul, Ava doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.
When my family adopted Ava about three years ago, she had clearly experienced trauma before she came to live with us.
As is often the case with people, too, her trauma has left her extremely sensitive to her environment, and she had to dig deep to learn to trust us. In this regard, she’s come a long way, though there are still moments when something will trigger her, and she’ll cower or shut down.
But her sensitivity is also her gift as my partner in therapy.
She often senses just the right moment when you need reassurance and will lean against your legs or gently touch your foot with her body. She’ll often also let us know when it’s time to start wrapping up our session.
Ava is free to choose when and how she wants to participate. But if you’re not a “dog person” per se, she does not take it personally! She knows not to overdo the “Hello” when she sees you and will quietly and happily wait outside while you and I work together.
About Me
After graduating from Shippensburg University with a major in psychology in the 1980s, I entered the field of mental health services and have never looked back.
My experience includes providing therapeutic services for adults, children and youth in community, residential, school, and hospital settings. For many years, I worked with families in crisis providing in-home family therapy and resource support.
I completed my graduate studies at Bryn Mawr College as a non-traditional older adult student. Becoming a licensed clinical social worker has allowed me to become more creative and flexible in how I choose to work with clients toward their well-being.
Nine years ago, I became certified in horse assisted psychotherapy (EAP) and for a while was a designated trainer for national and international healthcare providers seeking certification in EAP.
Working with horses means working outdoors. And it soon became obvious to me that the value of working with horses included the value of working in nature. As a result, I began to explore something that I had been interested in for a very long time – ecopsychology.
I have since begun to incorporate my training in Buddhist Psychology with my work with clients in the office, out in nature, and with the horses.
Buddhism, Nature, and Horses have taught me that my medical-model training and “clinical” mental health experience left out one vital component of human experience – the psyche! Ironic, isn’t it, since the “psych” in psychology literally refers to soul or spirit.
Personally, I am always stretching myself emotionally and spiritually. In recent years, I have become more comfortable at pursuing non-verbal expressions of my inner reality. This began with a healing and transformative dollmaking course that I took for personal development.
This experience inspired me to begin inviting clients to experiment with this form of self-exploration. It’s not for everyone, just as horses, nature, and meditation are not everyone’s cup of tea. But for those clients who are willing to ‘play,’ the process unfolds profound insights.