Therapeutic Orientation

Although I appreciate a variety of therapeutic orientations, I most closely align myself with a relational psychoanalytic therapeutic approach.  It is my belief that our core desire is for relationship and it is within the context of relationship that we can heal. Relationships deeply form us and often, the roots of our unrest are discovered in how we relate to ourselves and others. The hope is for both parties in the therapeutic relationship to be open, real and vulnerable to the effects that humans have on us, including the human that is sitting across from us.

 

I specialize in working with people struggling with food and body issues and eating disorders. My passion for food and body issues comes from the idea that sometimes our bodies have a way of expressing our struggles that we have not yet found words for.  Though this is a specialty of mine, I see people for a variety of other reasons - parenthood, anxiety, depression, stress, post traumatic stress disorder, life transitions, and relational concerns. I work with both individuals and couples.

 

Credentials

I am a Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LH60283952) as well as a Washington State Approved Supervisor. I hold a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Miami University, and a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Mars Hill Graduate School (now The Seattle School for Theology and Psychology).  I am a member of the Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study and the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. I have an ongoing involvement and commitment to consultation, study groups, and professional training in order to continue to learn and grow as a therapist.