Find a Therapist in Rio Vista, California.

Early wounding in life is the key cause of the issues and problems we have in our present lives. I believe in exploring and experienceing our early painful and angry feelings to associate them with how we deal with our relationships, our jobs and/or the community. I believe that the strong feelings of anger and love we have or had for our parents are reflected in our current relationships. I also believe that the modeling of behavior in our early lives will be reflected in how we act today. If this has a negative bent to it, it can be readily repaired through the empathetic and reflective counseling that I provide..

I work with an entire person--the mind, emotions, body, spirit, relationships. I offer an alternative approach to traditional psychotherapy because sometimes we are stuck beyond our thoughts. I believe we are often stuck beyond how we think about something, but by how our body holds and remembers the experiences. After all, we feel the anxiety in our chest, shoulders or stomach. When we are depressed, we struggle to move, sleep, concentrate etc. I work to remove the block from wherever it is stuck. My clients come to me after years of ineffective therapy. They are looking for more than talking about their struggles or identifying how they think about them in favor of a change in living.

Are you interested in getting relief and finding solutions? Would you like to feel good about your life and relationships? I use empirical research and science across multiple disciplines to show clients just like you how you can get real-world, tangible, time-tested, and long-lasting, results that lead to optimal mental and relational health. Mental and relational health is not just a reduction in symptoms and problems. Instead, they are increases in self-control and empowerment, as well as acceptance, freedom, kindness, compassion, safety, and understanding - for yourself and others.

I always tell my clients that I am an "Old School Psychotherapist." This means that I believe that the way we are raised, our parents, and our families create who we are as adults. This means that I do a deep dive with every single client. I learn about you. I learn about your past, your history, and your family relationships. We form a bond and this connection allows us to be a true team for your mental health. If you are looking for a long-term therapist, you are in the right place! Long-term therapy allows for long-term results. You come to therapy to learn about yourself and see your mood improve, and you will get there much faster with a therapist who is truly on your side. I am here.

No two people are exactly the same, so my approach to each client depends on her particular needs and goals. I take a top-down/bottom-up approach in that we work on how our minds control the body and how the body controls the mind, so that ultimately you have control over both. We will look at patterns that are working and patterns that aren't in terms of emotions, relationships, and behaviors. We figure out how those patterns originated so that we know how to eliminate what's not working and find new, more functional patterns. Science shows us that talk therapy isn't just talk. Therapy literally changes the wiring of your brain to give you more choice, functionality, and joy.

I provide a safe, calm, friendly, empathetic & down to earth environment for you in session. Making changes or gaining a better understanding about your life can be challenging. I will lend support to you whether you are experiencing a crisis, going through a transition in life or are interested in learning more about yourself & relationships. Maybe you have sought therapy before or this is the first time, I am here to assist you with all of your therapy goals. No matter who you are and what you have experienced, we all can benefit from psychotherapy. Together we can work on achieving your therapy goals.

My approach is to work collaboratively with clients using a holistic model of therapy which entails a blending of Eastern and Western modalities. For example, training in meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, proper exercise, a nutritious, science-based diet and maintaining proper sleep hygiene. Also, including talk therapy can then help to reveal core values and issues. Mindfulness training benefits clients in observing clearly thoughts and behaviours. Clients benefit greatly through the use of evidence based interventions by developing the skills needed to evaluate thought patterns and overcome destructive patterns.

In laymen's terms, psychotherapy is the opportunity to talk about and process your problems or challenges with a trained therapist. Sometimes, we don't need someone to try to fix our problems for us, which is what most of our friends try to do when we talk about them. Sometimes we need someone who will listen and be a sounding board so we can think through and process for ourselves. I want to support you with your goals and your needs and we can make a therapy plan (psychotherapy or other types) that you feel will best suit your needs. Most importantly, I provide that safe environment for you to be able to be vulnerable, talk about, and process whatever is on your heart and in your mind.

Psychotherapy is not anything to be scared of, or intimidated about. Seeking out a therapist or being in therapy isn't an admission of weakness or some kind of character flaw. Therapy is a collaborative process and a partnership with someone who is trained in and experienced with facilitating personal growth. And in this process, you are in the driver's seat. Our minds and emotions and relationships involve complicated machinery just like our bodies do and in the same way a medical doctor helps you stay physically healthy, Psychotherapy is designed to help you be and stay mentally and socially strong, and continually in a position to take on life's many challenges as your best self.

My approach to psychotherapy is mostly relational. I take a family systems approach that addresses relationships in my clients' lives and improves their functioning for better health and happiness. Clients under my care learn how to unilaterally improve the functioning of a relationship through boundaries and self-confrontation. The result is individuals and relationships that thrive.