My Approach
“Effective treatment requires treatment of the individual’s underlying condition and is not limited to alleviation of the individual’s current symptoms.”
Early relational and environmental experiences affect our attitudes about ourselves and how we relate to others. If our emotional needs were unmet or disrupted by trauma (big trauma; or accumulation of smaller traumas) this can lead to enduring problematic behaviors & emotional responses as an adult.
For example, certain current situations can trigger us emotionally. The limbic system, more specifically the amygdala is reacting to the environmental cues that remind it of earlier experiences in our life that have caused harm to us. By default, whenever our mind registers such a threat, we automatically turn to survivor mode (flight, fight or freeze). This is why we engage in self-sabotaging and mala-adaptive patterns of behaving (e.g., workaholism, perfectionism, avoidance, anger, rumination).
Unmet emotional needs can also manifest in current interpersonal relationships, whether professional or personal. The way our caretakers attuned to our emotions and scaffolded our sense of agency, lays out the relational model in which we continue to operate as adults. E.g., we may continue to put other’s needs above our own because this was the relational model that was internalized throughout upbringing. When our own emotional needs are not met, often times frustration then compounds to anger and resentment. In therapy, I utilize the therapy relationship to reshape relational attitudes stuck in the past, and to promote healthier ways of relating to oneself and others.
I integrate Evidence-Based Practice techniques and interventions from:
psychodynamic therapy
schema therapy
My style is affirming, encouraging, and supportive. 1x a week therapy cadence is expected as you are learning to prioritize your emotions and intuition. In addition, the insights that emerge during this change process are most effectively integrated with greater continuity.
Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Therapy:
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/01/psychodynamic-therapy
FAQ
How long does therapy take?
Therapy duration is related to how long the presenting issues have persisted, acuity, and the nature of your adversities. It takes time to change rigid defensive mechanisms and heal from deeper emotional wounds that affect our interpersonal functioning. 6-12 months of treatment would be considered short-term. Many of my clients work with me for multiple years. It is through the aggregate process of therapy contact that enduring change occurs.