Couples Therapy

Couples therapy in my practice often focuses around improving communication skills in order to enhance intimacy, decrease conflict, and help with those pesky issues that never seem to be resolvable. Using a blend of therapeutic models, I take a solution-focused approach using the research and methods of John Gottman to guide my work. Couples come in with different issues, different personalities, and an array of goals they would like to achieve. In response, my approach is personalized to each couple and geared toward helping move them toward relational growth and understanding and away from relational gridlock. I work with both heterosexual and same sex couples in every facet of relationship – dating, engaged, married, divorcing, or divorced and co-parenting.

Neurofeedback Therapy

Also known as EEG Biofeedback, Neurofeedback in its simplest form is brain training. It is a therapeutic self-regulation method that addresses the central nervous system and brain using a computer-based program that assesses a client’s brainwave activity. Changes in brain wave patterns are associated with changes in emotional, physical and cognitive states. It works through the use of operant conditioning, which uses rewards to increase desired behaviors. In Neurofeedback, the desired behavior is a change in brainwave activity. Neurofeedback is used to address issues such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, epilepsy, and many others. The benefits offered from Neurofeedback can include but are not limited to improved focus, improvement in symptoms associated with anxiety and depression, and improved emotion regulation.

The training is quite easy for the client – he or she will have 1 to 2 sensors places on the head depending on where the training is being focused and will play a training game or watch a movie on the computer. The “reward” is given in the playing of the game or in the movie screen fading in and out depending on the brain’s activity. Most clients describe the process as relaxing but a bit tiring – similar to how one might feel after studying for a test.

The training for Neurofeedback is guided by a quantitative EEG (QEEG). This is a recording of EEG waves from 19 spots in the brain that is taken in the office and is then quantified using software to analyze the data. In my practice, the QEEG is created through Brain Science International and interpreted by some of the leading electroencephalographers in the country. The information from the QEEG provides “brain maps,” detailing what is happening in the brain and guides the protocols for the Neurofeedback training. A treatment plan is created based on the results of the QEEG and the client’s symptoms.

Effective training usually requires twice weekly sessions for an average of 40 sessions. Some clients may require more sessions depending on the complexity and severity of symptoms. Because Neurofeedback is a self-regulation skill, regular training is necessary for the new neural connections to create and solidify the new brain wave patterns we are working to achieve. For more information visit www.isnr.org.

Family Therapy

With a focus on reducing conflict and improving the interactions within a family, family therapy can be a beneficial modality for the entire family or any combination of family members. In family therapy, the system itself is the focus rather than any one individual. I work together with each family to understand their distinct patterns and dynamics in order to identify what is working well and what is keeping them trapped in the same negative cycles.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

Accelerated Resolution Therapy is an evidenced-based therapy shown to achieve rapid benefits (usually within 1-5 sessions). The therapy works by reprograming the way memories and negative images are stored in the brain, which removes the strong emotional and physiological reactions that are so distressing and uncomfortable. ART is used to address trauma, abuse, anxiety, depression, grief, phobias, and many other mental and physical conditions. Clients can experience remarkable benefits as early as the first session.

ART is unique from other trauma-focused therapies in that you do not have to discuss or describe your trauma in detail and can share with the therapist as much or as little as feels comfortable. Additionally, throughout the session, focus is consistently brought back to processing and calming any distressing physical sensations or emotions that arise. For more information click here or visit acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com. A helpful video can be viewed here. And a veteran testimonial can be viewed here.

Individual Therapy

When I meet with individuals, I use a mixture of modalities and approaches rooted in relational-based therapy. Some clients come in knowing exactly what they want to work on while others know something feels off but can’t quite identify what the problem seems to be. I work to meet my clients where they are, encouraging them to discover their own inner voice, helping them learn to identify and move beyond the negative messages that keep them from feeling confident and competent, and providing support as they navigate their own way forward.

Biofeedback Therapy

A powerful treatment tool for those who suffer from anxiety, biofeedback is a self-regulation tool that increases physiological awareness and allows you to gain more control over the way your body responds to stress. Utilizing immediate feedback on the computer screen, clients learn to voluntarily control what was previously involuntary – breath speed, heart rate, muscle tension, skin temperature, and skin conductance (sweat gland activity in the hands). While relaxation is often a happy side-effect of training, the ultimate goal is to teach the skills necessary to bring someone back to baseline – to teach them to regulate their own autonomic nervous system.

Following the method of Inna Khazan, PhD, I also believe mindfulness practice is an essential aspect of successful biofeedback therapy and utilize mindfulness techniques to enhance the effectiveness of the biofeedback skills. Basic skills can be accomplished in 4 to 5 sessions, with more complex skills requiring additional sessions. For more information visit the Association for Applied Psychology and Biofeedback website.