Individual Counseling
Deep down, we all have a natural impulse to avoid pain and discomfort; to make it stop and to feel better. And we find lots of different ways to do this. And often, no matter how hard we try, we can’t quite seem to conquer it.
We also have a deep desire to really understand ourselves.
Sometimes it takes something going wrong to drive us to counseling and other times we finally make space in our lives to focus on ourselves. However you found us, we honor you for taking a moment to consider exploring what’s inside.
In individual counseling we seek to process life with you; the joy, the stress, and the deep meanings. And we want to help you figure out how to maneuver through the everyday. I guess you could say we want to help you with both the day-to-day and the big questions of life… because they both really matter.
Individual counseling is an act of courage and self-advocacy, and as such, we honor you and your process. Our number one goal is to provide a safe relationship and environment for you. And we know how to do that.
Couples and Marriage
Intimate relationships challenge us in ways other relationships don't. In our closest relationships there seems to be more at risk - more to fear. And fear is in direct opposition to love. Not that we aren't all afraid... we are. How we address our fear, though, is key. Are you willing to engage your fears and move toward connection? If you are interested in a partnership that is truly alive, then you must answer, "Yes." Vulnerability and transparency are the pathways to aliveness in relationship; without these, there is hiding, holding back, lashing out, protecting, and, sometimes, just exixting. Yuck. Who wants that?
In relationship counseling, it is so important for the therapist to align with the couple and each individual in the couple relationship. Everyone wants to be heard, and we know that all relationships and all relationship dynamics are co-created. This point of view makes it a lot easier to balance the therapy. Everyone gets to experience empathy, and everyone gets to be challenged to grow and change. That's the deal.
Regardless of the stage of relationship you are in, there is a wonderful opportunity in front of you to ask yourself this one question... "What am I wanting?" This question could change your live and your relationship. So, if you are interested in creating the relationship you really want, this is a great place to get resourced!
Children and Play Therapy
There is no greater joy than to see a smile on a child’s face and no deeper heartache than to witness a child in distress. By their very nature, children wear their emotions on their sleeves (even when they are trying to hide them). And often their expressions are sensitive and raw, which can leave us feeling confused, frustrated, helpless, and afraid. It’s as if they are speaking a different language from us! And the truth is… they are! Children are not “little adults.” So often the adult way to do things simply doesn’t work with children. Play and metaphor are basic to a child's expression and a vital component to child-centered therapy.
We see children as people in process. As a result, we seek to walk alongside children of all ages, to guide and direct them, creating a safe and expressive space, helping them and learning from them. We uphold that a child’s work is located in the larger realm of family and other social figures of authority. What we are saying here is that parents can expect to be actively involved in the process of play therapy, including joining in play therapy sessions with their kids as well as participating in parent coaching sessions with their therapist. This is simply the best way to do child-centered therapy.
I know… You’re thinking, “Play Therapy? What is that? How can play be therapy? Is this just about my kiddo having fun?” Actually, play therapy is hard work. And it’s a necessary work for many children. Through play, children safely express the events that have occurred in their life in order to make sense of those life events. It’s also the way children express emotions or learn to cope with their emotions, communicate their concerns and joys, and manage stressors. Through play, children also experience an understanding that they are significant, empowered and known. In many ways, what happens in childhood shapes the entire course of a life. And thus, play therapy is an instrumental tool in reshaping a child’s experience to something more true and healthy.
Arts and crafts, music, toys, sand-play, imaginative and expressive play, reading, creating, sports and activities, tactile activities, developmental interventions, talk therapy, animal assisted therapy, and whatever else the child and therapist might co-create in their therapeutic space!
