Individual Counseling
Seeing a therapist “one on one” is the most traditional way to see a mental health professional. It is a unique opportunity to have a completely confidential and highly dynamic experience with another individual. All professionally trained therapist have their own set of modalities, life experiences and personalities. Having the right “fit” and feeling comfortable with one's therapist is crucial to feeling safe and thus opening oneself to having new personal insights. Goals of therapy are agreed upon by the client and therapist at the the beginning of their work together and reviews of that work happen as the relationship progresses. Having the the undivided attention of a professional to track one's life experience is a deeply valuable and healing encounter.
Grief & Loss Counseling
It is impossible to come into this life without experiencing loss. Whether we realize it our not, our lives are filled with losses. They come in all shapes and sizes and if you live long enough, one is bound to experience his fair share. The toll of loss can add up and weigh one down over a lifetime. A great loss can bring one to his knees in a moment. Beginning with the loss of our childhood to the loss of relationships, or the death of a parent or grandparent can alter our lives forever. The loss of safety, youth, and a dear family pet can rock one's reality and make one question almost every aspect of his life. Life transitions (divorce, retirement, moving, a child going to college) are events that also make one question his own happiness and life's purpose. No loss is too small if it is causing the individual pain they are not able to manage. Seeing a professional who is trained in this field can help the individual come to terms with the loss; find ways to cope and hopefully find some, even moments, of acceptance.
Couples Therapy
The relationship we have with our intimate partners can be the most rewarding dynamic in our lives and simultaneously the most complex. In times of strife and hardship, many couples don't know how to rise out of the ruts in which they find themselves in. Having the input from a confidential and unbiased professional can be extremely helpful. It is the job of the couples therapist to create a safe environment for both clients involved in the therapy session. Each member of the couple must feel equally seen, heard and validated. With professional insight and direction, long standing conflicts may have an opportunity to be aired and seen in a way that has not happen previously. With dedication and commitment to the process, the couple can move to either improve the quality of the bond or clarify the need to transition out of the relationship.
Mindfulness Therapy
Much of the pain and suffering of the human condition comes from a lack of "right seeing". In other words, the human mind often incorrectly perceives its surroundings and its identity in those surroundings; thus it struggles with reality. Mindfulness therapy is a modality in which one begins paying attention to one's reality in a very conscious and purposeful way. With greater attunement to what is happening in the present moment, one gains the ability to respond rather than react to stressful situations.
Basic mindfulness starts with bringing awareness to the client's body sensations, physical surroundings and the interior mindscape. Mindfulness meditation can be brought into the therapy session as an accessible technique for clients to use at home as a mind training practice for relaxation and clear seeing. Countless studies over the last thirty years have shown that mindfulness will help to resolve problems of anxiety, depression, and addictive behavior. It is an excellent anger management tool and helps to stabilize mood disorders.
