I am a relational therapist; I build an authentic relationship with each person. Science and experience tell us that early learning about relationships stays with us into adulthood. So, what was learned in those early relationships can be changed later in life through a different type of relationship. We are relational animals; we need relationships to prosper, to feel known, and to belong. Poor relationships can damage us and positive relationships can heal us. That’s why I work as a relational therapist.
I am a somatic specialist. In the earliest part of my career I was a structural body worker (Rolfer). Those years honed my sensitivity to the body as the messenger of the unconscious; as the carrier of the whole truth of a person’s life. Many years later my graduate studies concentrated on somatic science and my Ph.D. research is in the area of somatic awareness as a buffer against the influence of traumatic events. Why might this be important to you? Because our emotions and insights are generated deep in our bodies via our senses. I can help you develop the awareness and capacity to access all your knowledge and wisdom so you can use it to your benefit. Sound like “hocus pocus”? It isn’t, it is science and I can prove it too!
I am a trauma specialist. For many years I have worked with people who have suffered traumatic events that negatively shaped their lives. This includes the kind of traumas that don’t seems significant at first glance, but repeated, small events can lead to big difficulties later. As a somatic specialist I am highly attuned to how trauma influences our bodies as the point of impact (via the nervous system that is overwhelmed by the event). As a relational therapist, I am deeply aware of the negative effects of trauma on the ability to have and maintain healthy relationships in an ongoing way. Trauma can make us withdraw from relationships as a protective response, making us feel more isolated and alone. Moving back into a safe relationship that makes no demands on you is often a first step into moving back into other relationships where emotional connection can be comforting and healing.