I am grateful for the good fortune of choosing a professional life path that I continue to enjoy and feel a calling to. It truly is a gift to participate in the deeply human process of transformation that examining our lives and our relationships can offer. This often involves identifying and dropping any false beliefs or obstacles getting in the way of our authentic self-acceptance and life purpose. The door can then open to new possibilities, more harmony in relationships and a greater sense of well being in our daily life experience.
For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to understanding the mysteries of human behavior and how we relate to one another with the ultimate goal of understanding myself, improving relationships and helping others. This has led me on a long journey of self-discovery with study and experience of various schools of thought that have been of benefit to me personally and contributed to my work. One of my most profound experiences took place several years ago in experiencing the transformative and the power of Mindful Self-Compassion with originators Drs. Kristen Neff and Chris Germer. I was a so inspired by MSC and its life changing properties that I sought training as a teacher for working with adults and adolescents individually and in groups. I have had the opportunity to witness the power this modality time and time again with the emergence of self-acceptance and greater compassion for oneself and others.
While mindfulness provides a foundation for my work, I incorporate other evidence based practices based on the needs of my clients including elements of traditional psychodynamic and supportive therapy . An example of modalities that I use include EMDR, polyvagal theory, energy psychology and the Enneagram system of personality. EMDR is one of the most effective treatments for life trauma up to formally diagnosed PTSD. Therapy based on polyvagal theory can deepen awareness and mastery of the state of our nervous system for management of stress. Elements of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction also provide strategies for emotion regulation that can minimize the damaging effect of stress on the whole body system.
Techniques of energy healing such as Emotional Freedom Technique utilize the basic principles of acupressure to free up blockages in the body that may present an obstacle to emotional healing. Additionally, the Enneagram system of personality can be a very useful tool in developing self-awareness and understanding of what drives our behavior along with uncovering early wounding that may have contributed. The treatment plan is then created with the input/agreement of client and therapist outlining mutually identified needs and goals for therapy.
What I have found to be the essential element, however, is the quality of the relationship between therapist and client that must be built on trust, respect and acceptance. I strongly believe in a collaborative process that is strength based recognizing that we all have the inner wisdom to heal and evolve. The therapy relationship serves to facilitate that growth with the dissolution of barriers to healing and the internalization of self-compassion that can restore our sense of true worth as a person deserving of happiness, healthy relationships and the achievement of life purpose.