In individual therapy we work together to process current issues and understand how they are affecting one’s well-being. I also use a collaborative approach with my clients when it comes to setting goals and finding the best way for the client to achieve a healthier and happier life. I help clients by teaching them how to regulate their emotions, develop healthier relationships, and tolerate distressing moments they may be experiencing. I offer evidence-based practical skills to help clients make positive changes in themselves.
I also work with adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years old. Adolescence can a be a difficult and confusing time in one’s life that may bring extra challenges to both the individual and their family. Teenagers may face issues with self-esteem, difficulties with peers and parents, as well mood swings, any of which may prove especially challenging if they do not know how to manage them well. It is my goal as a therapist to help by providing a warm, caring environment where adolescents can share and gain practical skills they will use to manage their issues in a safe and healthy manner. I work with clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, stress, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.
I offer Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills training to both adults and adolescents. These skills are divided into four main categories: mindfulness practice, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation.
Mindfulness Practice teaches clients how to be fully aware and present in the current moment. It is intended to improve one’s ability to observe and describe themselves and their environment without judgment, which enhances their ability to participate in life effectively.
Distress Tolerance teaches clients how to tolerate and manage pain in difficult situations without making it worse. This skill can be life-saving and is frequently used for clients who struggle with suicidal thoughts, self-harm and reckless behavior.
Interpersonal Effectiveness is an important skill for building and maintaining healthy relationships. It teaches clients how to ask for what they want and how to say no while maintaining self-respect and preserving relationships.
Emotion Regulation skills help the client learn to understand how and why their emotions occur and how they can manage them in a healthier way. The client learns how to reduce their vulnerability to negative or uncomfortable emotions while also developing ways to build positive emotional experiences.
