Normal doesn't mean healthy. It's "normal" to live paycheck to paycheck; but it isn't healthy. It's "normal" to eat fast food; but it isn't healthy. It's "normal" to delay health checkups; but it isn't healthy. This applies to emotional health also. It's "normal" to shame your kids for not doing their homework; but it isn't... Continue Reading →
Defusing means putting awareness to thoughts and feelings. Time does this automatically: think about the last time you felt mad, or sad, or anxious. Thinking about the last time doesn't put you right back into that feeling, you are only remembering it . . . without feeling it intensely. Now, we could bring up the... Continue Reading →
After 10 years of working with individuals, couples, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, I found that relationship work depends on the capacities of the individuals and that fragile and resistant clients benefit from individual treatment to build those capacities. Until those capacities are developed, family therapy may be added for support and learning rather... Continue Reading →
As a therapist, I follow a treatment plan to guide the work but I find that clients who journal outside of session make the most progress. While there is no wrong way to journal, I have created a journal that includes all the therapy-based components of self care. It includes 3 months of daily logs,... Continue Reading →
Modalities are schools of psychotherapy that follow specific protocols. For example, in SFBT (solution focused brief therapy), clients identify a goal and explore barriers that hold back from and levers that lead toward that goal. In narrative therapy, clients look at the story of themselves and work to develop identity and meaning. These different types... Continue Reading →
The Mind Renewed 