Areas of Focus
“Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” Kahlil Gibran
ANXIETY
Are you anxious? Does your anxiety affect your quality of life? Do you want to learn to manage your anxiety? Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Sometimes anxiety shows up as worrisome thoughts, or mental movies projecting terrible outcomes, and sometimes anxiety shows up in your body. Tension, sleeplessness, irritability, difficulty eating, shakiness, teeth grinding, gastrointestinal issues, ulcers, headaches, having difficulty concentrating, and feeling in a fog are all part of the anxiety experience.
Anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. Feelings of anxiety can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships. There are several different types of anxiety disorders. Examples include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
Effective treatment for anxiety can help you “stop the train” of anxiety by teaching you how to relax your body, and your mind. The good news is that for most people, anxiety is easy to treat. You can learn the tools and techniques that heal anxiety and are simple to learn and highly effective.
Providing individual, couples and family counseling
I provide services for a range of emotional and behavioral issues including anxiety, anger management, adoption support, and beyond. In a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, I offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each of my client's individual needs to help them attain the personal growth they are striving for.
ANGER
Do you have a short fuse? Do you go from "zero to sixty" in an instant? Do you want to learn how to deal with your anger?
Anger is a perfectly normal human emotion and, when dealt with appropriately, healthfully. It is neither appropriate nor healthy if you cannot control your temper, and often lash out at others.
Anger can be a problem when it is too intense, too frequent, when it lasts too long, when it negatively impacts relationships, and when it leads to aggression.
Anger management is a term used to describe the skills it takes to recognize and take appropriate action to deal with an anger-inducing situation in a positive way. It does not mean internalizing or suppressing anger, but recognizing the triggers and signs of anger, and finding other, more appropriate ways to express our feelings.
Anger management, therefore, is about recognizing negative patterns and developing new, healthy approaches that include conflict resolution skills and problem-solving skills.
I often use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) Anger Management Curriculum from my years of co-leading intensive outpatient programs which informs my work. Additionally, I incorporate mindfulness, and relationship skills, including Imago Therapy, into my approach.
"You are the first victim of your anger"
Buddha
"Rock bottom is the solid foundation on which I built my life."
J.K. Rowling
ADDICTIONS
Are you addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, shoplifting, technology, or other habits that are interfering with your life? Have friends or relatives talked to you about your addictive tendencies? If you are tired of being blamed or shamed about your addiction, I will take a compassionate, understanding, and collaborative approach to helping you develop new, healthier ways of living.
I am a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and hold a specialty certificate in problem gambling. I have worked in the field of addiction for over 12 years. I utilize evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). In addition to my private practice, I run an Intensive Outpatient Group using the Seeking Safety Curriculum, which is a trauma-based curriculum, The Matrix Manual, which is a CBT approach, and the Co-occurring Disorders Manual, which is focused on treating addiction in addition to mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
I help clients to set goals, identify triggers, develop coping skills, build resilience and regain confidence.
ATTACHMENT
Do you notice that you struggle with intimacy? Are you either too close or too distant from the people you love? Do you have difficulty with boundaries? Do you want more from your relationships? Are you an adoptive parent dealing with challenges unique to adoptive families? Are you an adoptee looking to address issues such as identity, permanence, missing information, and loyalty? Are you an adoptee or parent of an adoptee who wants support during a search and reunion? Are you an adult who was adopted as a child and now wants to explore the effects of relinquishment?
I completed a post-graduate specialization through the University of Connecticut in Adoption Competency and have worked with all three parts of the Adoption Triad. In addition, my training in a variety of Attachment-Focused therapies informs my Adoption work. (Please see Trainings and Certifications).
"Walls keep everybody out. Boundaries teach people where the door is."
Mark Groves