Services
You’re tired of feeling stuck in your life, or your current situation, and you are searching for answers. You may feel frustrated, anxious, confused, discouraged, or alone. You know life can be better than this, and you’re ready for some help to move in the right direction. With a quick call or email, you can start to experience the relief that comes with trying something new. My goal is to help you feel the freedom, peace, and connection counseling can bring. I offer individual and group counseling in the following areas:
Addiction & Substance Abuse
If you have concerns about how much alcohol you are drinking, or feeling that other substances you are using may be problematic, I can help. I’ve worked with women in all phases of substance use treatment and recovery. For many women, substance use is something that starts as a way to manage stress or to cope with present or past life problems. Others use substances as a way to deal with anxiety, depression, or traumatic life experiences. For some women, drinking or using other substances can cross a line into addiction and cause some very serious and painful consequences. In therapy, we can discover ways to help you face life more successfully, without having to rely on alcohol or other drugs.
Disordered Eating & Eating Disorders
Eating disorders, like anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, can be serious life-threatening illnesses. I provide treatment for those suffering with these issues, and also for those who struggle with other food or body image related issues. Many women that struggle with their food or body do not have an eating disorder, but still suffer. The term disordered eating means that your relationship to food, eating, and your body is problematic, even though it does not meet the criteria of an eating disorder. Chronic yo-yo dieting, orthorexia, obsession with weight and fitness, or emotional eating are some examples of disordered eating behaviors. Together we can discover what you are truly hungry for, and help you find ways to meet those needs other than through food, restricting, or dieting.
Body Image & Embodiment
Body image simply describes the way we see ourselves and experience being in our bodies. We live in a culture that values a certain type of body over others, so many of us live our lives feeling like we aren’t good enough. I’ve worked with many women who have a negative body image and feel like they are always at war with their bodies. In therapy, we will examine your beliefs about your body and help you find a place where you feel truly at home and at peace in your body. There are many ways of working with negative body image, and I use methods that are cognitive and body-based (also called somatic). We’ll explore your body story in words, in writing, and will practice what’s called embodiment, or how you actually inhabit your body.
I am affirming of all body sizes, and I practice from a weight neutral, Health At Every Size mindset. I have extensive training in working with body image, and am a licensed facilitator of the Be Body Positive Model, from The Body Positive.
Anxiety & Stress Management
We live in an age of high anxiety! For many women, anxiety and stress are ever present. We have tremendous pressure to perform, to serve, and to keep all the balls in the air. Are you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed? Do you have trouble sleeping, relaxing, or finding time to replenish yourself? Whether you’ve suffered from panic attacks, social anxiety, or chronic worry, I specialize in helping women find peace and escape from that impending sense of doom.
Women’s Issues
Let’s face it, women carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Women all have a number of roles they play, whether it’s mom, wife, partner, daughter, sister, employee, boss, teacher, homemaker, caregiver, etc. Women are usually the glue that holds the very fabric of our society together. Many of us are taught that we should fulfill all these roles with a smile on our faces, while looking beautiful, thin, and maintaining an immaculately clean house. Now more than ever, many women are truly exhausted in trying to perform all these roles. If you are feeling burned out and overwhelmed, if you are desperately in need of self-care, but can’t seem to find the time or the ability to take care of yourself, I can help. Whether you need support in your current roles, help in making it through a big life transition, or a place to bring your grief or sadness, I can provide a safe, understanding, and nonjudgmental place for you to heal.
Self Worth & Self Compassion
Do you struggle with feeling good enough? Do you feel worthy? Most women work hard in so many areas of their lives—career, relationships, parenthood, and home—only to feel like they never get it quite right. Women are quick to offer kindness to our loved ones and friends, but continue to be hard on ourselves. We have an inner critic that is always telling us that we should do better, know better, be better, and look better. This inner critic is relentless, and some women try to satisfy that critical voice by striving for perfection. Other women try to silence that critical voice by numbing out with alcohol, food, pills, exercise, or a variety of other behaviors. In therapy, we’ll identify that inner critic’s voice and help you develop self-compassion. Many women fear that if they are kind to themselves, they will not achieve their goals or ever rise to their full potential. Most of us were taught that we needed to be hard on ourselves to get better. Fortunately, research has shown that most folks achieve MORE when they treat themselves with kindness!
For more information on how self compassion can help us:
https://self-compassion.org/does-self-compassion-mean-letting-yourself-off-the-hook/
