Treatment Approaches

From the Somatic Experiencing Institute website: "The Somatic Experiencing® method is a body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders. It is the life’s work of Dr. Peter A. Levine, resulting from his multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics, together with over 45 years of successful clinical application. The SE™ approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD, and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma." More information can be found here: About SE

"Eye of the Needle" therapy is aimed at reintegrating elements of well-being after one has had a near-death experience. This work includes methods from Somatic Experiencing. Examples of events that signal someone may benefit from this work include: drownings, severe accidents or falls, waking up during surgery, poisonings, and life-threatening health conditions, including severe COVID.

"Before [they] can alter [their] behavior in any way, the individual must first encompass the sensations and feeling which go along with it." (Polster and Polster, Gestalt Therapy Integrated: Contours of Theory and Practice, 1974). Gestalt Therapy is a method for increasing awareness in the here and now, involving all that a person may think, feel, and sense in a given moment. This awareness must include not only cognitive understanding, but also the acknowledgement of the felt sense that comes with thoughts or memories. When a person can fully accept these occurrences, without judgement, they then are able to make other choices/alter behavior. Gestalt Therapy was first developed in the 1940s and the theory has expanded considerably.  I can recommend books if you are further interested.

We would all benefit from having secure attachments with others in every aspect of our life.  However, some of us may notice patterns of relating that leave us feeling upset or confused, either in specific relationships, or generally with most people. Attachment-based therapy aims to help you learn to connect with others in a way that leaves you feeling nourished by your interactions, and confident in your boundaries without relational tension.

I have completed the DARe (Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning experience) program and combine skills from this training in addition to other attachment-based approaches. More information about the DARe program can be found here.

Expressive Arts Therapy is an intermodal treatment approach, which incorporates music, visual art, movement, and writing to deepen one's experience, broaden awareness, and increase understanding. Not all of these modalities may be used. However, it is often through the progression of one modality or form of creativity, to another where new states of being, awarenesses, and insights emerge in the present moment. No artistic skill or experience is required. 

Also, if you have recurrent dreams or ones you wish to understand, I do facilitate dreamwork using a method that blends Gestalt and Expressive Arts Therapies.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is a psycho-social intervention that aids in identifing maladaptive, or unhelpful thought patterns. Once a person can recognize cognitive distortions, it is possible to change one's reactions or behavior. CBT also involves learning coping skills as a means of changing behavior once one learns to identify their negative thought patterns. While I do not primarily use CBT methods, I do integrate some interventions as they may fit your needs.

 "Motivational interviewing is a directive, client-centered counseling  style for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence." (Rollnick and Miller, What is Motivational Interviewing?, June 16, 2019) Motivational Interviewing, or MI, is an evidenced-based treatment for addictions, and can be helpful in changing other impulsive behavior, such as with disordered eating or overspending.  I have been practicing MI since I began training in counseling, and have used it to help hundreds of people struggling to alter behavioral patterns.