Services

When my daughter was born, my established ways of living and coping with life had to change. The most difficult change was coming to terms with no longer having the same ownership of my time. Rocking my tiny and beautiful daughter to sleep, I continually pushed away awareness of negative feelings, as I battled shame that I could experience emotions other than happiness and joy. Even as a therapist who works everyday with feelings, I was using the all-too-common strategy of “pushing through” since I did not feel able to tolerate nor understand my emotions. When I, or any of us, “push through” or “shut down” emotions such as sadness, loss, or anger, we often end up feeling stress, anxiety, depression … and loneliness. 

One of my specialties is working with new and experienced dads to help you better understand and deal with your emotions, while navigating the uncertainties and challenges that come with being a parent. Becoming a father is a major life transition that can be tough to adjust to. Ways therapy can provide support:

• • Processing the life changes you are going through. Even for experienced dads, these changes keep coming!

  • Getting better at understanding and managing emotions.

  • Improving confidence as a parent and reducing feelings of deficiency and insecurity.

  • Learning how to balance the needs of others with your own needs.

I'm looking for members for two groups that serve as adjuncts to individual therapy.

1. Dads adjusting to change

This group will explore thoughts and feelings that arise in the messy day-to-day of being a dad. The challenges of being a dad can lead to stress, depression, anxiety, and even awaken post traumatic symptoms. This group is about dealing with change, learning to tolerate vulnerability (both from others as well as one’s self), improving communication and connection with others.  Doing this work as a group can take power away from shame and self-criticism, and unlock the wisdom in our individual and collective emotions. I hope participants will move away from ‘stuckness” and towards a sense of aliveness and connection. 

2. Depression group

Inherent to depression is feeling stuck. This group flips the script by learning to not only manage, but also understand and grow from depression. Experiences of depression often signify something important for us to pay attention to, but our habitual responses to depression usually lead us to “check out” or lash out.  Maybe if we’re able to pay compassionate attention to ourselves, we can begin to hear a vulnerable part that speaks about the urgent need to be less perfectionistic and more free from self-judgment.  Using a diverse approach that combines skills, education, and group process (creative and authentic interaction between members), this group harnesses strengths and befriends supposed weaknesses in order to become more connected, hopeful, and purposeful in our lives. 

My depression group will be for those experiencing mild-to-moderate depression, and not appropriate for those with significant or recent suicidal ideation / behavior or significant substance use.