“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that’s mentionable is manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.”
I work with a variety of concerns, but have specialized training and experience in the following areas. Scroll down for types of treatment I offer.
Concerns
Grief and loss
Alan Wolfelt calls grief “the wilderness of the soul.” It can make you feel overwhelmed, bewildered, “crazy.” Therapy for grief is unique. Grief doesn’t need to be “fixed.” It needs to be witnessed and felt- and you don’t have to go it alone. As an experienced grief therapist, I can support you in navigating that wilderness of the soul. Children and teens have special needs in grief and I have years of experience working specifically with grieving children and teens, as well as helping families navigate grief together.
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Help for postpartum parents
Life with a new baby is so often romanticized. Nobody really prepares you for what your body goes through after labor and delivery. It’s one thing to know you’re going to be tired, and a whole other to actually be so sleep deprived. Parenting will absolutely trigger our own childhood issues. We feel the pressure to keep it all together, but underneath we can be filled with self-doubt, overwhelm, and even scary thoughts. You are absolutely not alone. As a therapist with specialized training, certification, and experience in Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders (all the stuff that can happen to our brains during pregnancy and the months following birth), I can tell you there is so much hope for feeling better with the right kind of treatment and support.
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trauma
““Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” ”
Trauma disrupts our sense of self and of feeling safe in our bodies and in the world. Therapy can be the path toward this restoration of safety within ourselves and in our relationships for a more joyful and wholehearted life. I have years of experience providing trauma-informed treatment with children, teens, and adults. I am trained in both cognitive behavioral and play therapy interventions for trauma. I am fully trained and continue ongoing advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and evidence-based treatment for both single incident and developmental trauma.
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anxiety
Anxiety is honestly one of my favorite challenges to work with because there are many tools that work so well. Anxiety is one of the fastest growing mental health concerns for all ages, and we are especially seeing a rise in very young children and teens. I use child-friendly play therapy tools to help teach kids and teens about anxiety and empower them to feel more in control of their worries.
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Food allergies
There is growing recognition of the social and emotional impacts for children and teens living with anaphylactic food allergies. Bullying, anxiety and avoidance, control issues, challenges navigating social situations can all be at play in living with anaphylactic food allergies. Even siblings can be impacted by feeling worry, pressure and responsibility, and deprivation by not being able to enjoy certain foods or activities as a family. I’m a food allergy Mom and I’ve lived it first hand. I can help your family navigate these very real concerns.
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Types of treatment
Play Therapy
Play therapy is an evidence-based modality for children and teens that can engage more effectively than talk therapy. Play is the language of children and the way children acquire new skills. I have substantial training in play therapy and experience working with children and teens with a variety of concerns including trauma, anxiety, and grief, with the play therapy approach.
sand Tray therapy
Sand tray therapy can be used with children, teens, and adults as a research-based tool for treatment than can engage the participant on multiple levels (verbal, nonverbal, and physical), to facilitate identification and expression of emotions, processing of underlying issues, and problem solving.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
CBT is a form of talk therapy that helps us examine our thoughts and beliefs, while identifing ways of thinking that can lead to a decrease in symptoms and an increase in healthier ways of coping and increased emotion regulation. I do not strictly practice CBT, but do find it productive to incorporate some key strategies.
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
ACT resonates with me as a model that helps us identify our values and priorities, and to practice strategies, including mindfulness, that help us to move closer to living a life where we are better able to flexibly engage in life based on those values and priorities.
https://contextualscience.org/act
TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
TF-CBT is a cognitive behavioral, evidence-based approach to trauma for children and teens with the goal of processing the trauma and correcting any unhelpful beliefs that were adopted as part of the trauma. This approach incorporates parent involvement as key to aspects of the treatment.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy)
EMDR is a treatment that helps reduce symptoms associated with disturbing life events and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
I may incorporate other therapeutic tools as needed, but these approaches describe my general training and approach.
Telehealth
I have the ability to offer online therapy sessions on a secure platform to provide services across the state of Michigan. This can be helpful during bad weather, illness, car trouble, and for college students who live out of town. Many insurances cover this service.
I am committed to an open and affirming practice for all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexualities, and abilities.