Treatment Modalities

A variety of psychological theories inform my clinical approach. Additionally, I often find it beneficial to incorporate multiple complementary techniques (cognitive, emotive and behavioral) into the psychotherapy process.

Cognitive Processing Therapy

This modality is focused on lessening the emotional burden associated with painful and traumatic circumstances. It is a therapy that follows specific steps over the course of 16 to 30 sessions. The first phase focuses on building rapport and facilitating an understanding of the effects of trauma. The next 2-3 sessions focuses on enhancing one's ability to tolerate anxiety. After this, a new phase engages in writing about the traumatic experience. This will be read in session with the intention to facilitate emotional processing. An emphasis is placed on recognizing the impact of trauma on self-image and cognitive beliefs. As the emotional burden of the trauma is released, one achieves a new level of understanding of how their functioning has been impacted. This then allows for a reframing of intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships.

Integrative Psychotherapy

My training include the following modalities: psychodynamic, interpersonal, dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, ego state therapy, somatic experiencing, brief strategic psychotherapy.

In my practice, I take a strength based approach, striving to facilitate perspective taking, utilization of resources, and potentialities implicit in each person. This process can help transform obstacles and allow realization of a fulfilling life.

Consultation, Evaluation and Treatment

I I structure all my initial evaluations as consultations, which generally consists of 2 sessions in adults and 2-4 sessions in children and adolescents .

At the end of the evaluation, we'll decide, if we are a good fit to work together and collaboratively develop a treatment plan.

Hypnosis

As a therapeutic technique, clinical hypnosis is highly versatile and powerful. We have many resources within our own mind that hypnosis allows us to become aware of through developing new and helpful association. Hypnosis is typically integrated with other psychotherapeutic treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy ( CBT). Hypnosis acts as a way to amplify these treatments, and there is plenty of evidence that shows that hypnosis generally enhances psychotherapy for this very reason. The brain has different levels of consciousness and awareness, ranging from fully alert to drowsy fully asleep, with variations in between. Hypnotic states are one of these variations and can occur naturally and spontaneously, including : day-dreaming, doing a mundane task and being absorbed in a pleasant activity . Clinical hypnosis deliberately induces this kind of relaxed state of absorption.

Hypnosis can also be used to help manage symptoms by engaging with the underlying patterns which drive our daily life choices. These symptoms and conditions include : chronic pain, anxiety, rumination, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, tinnitus.

For this reason, I often use hypnosis in combination with other psychotherapeutic modalities. I have completed numerous hours of training in hypnosis and hold a Certification in Clinical Hypnosis by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis ( ASCH). I am also an ASCH Approved Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis.