Embracing the unknown
Psychotherapy is a step from the now into the unknown. For a moment, you forget what you thought you knew about yourself, life, and the world, and see what emerges. The role of the therapist is that of a companion, standing beside you in this process of discovery.
As you discover things about yourself, the world makes more sense to you. Old wounds heal, psychic muscles are toned, and you start to forgive yourself and others. Or you choose not to forgive, and you come to accept that.
New possibilities
You start seeing what's possible for you in the world of feelings and relationships. The client-therapist relationship allows for reparative emotional experiences and becomes a practice ground for other relationships — with people, yourself, life.
Freud suggested that one of the main criteria for mental health was the ability to love and to work. A life in which both of those areas are fulfilling and satisfying is a life worth living. Psychotherapy aims to help you achieve meaning in these areas.
More specifically, the results can be resolving dysfunctional patterns, connecting more deeply with yourself and others, fine-tuning your purpose, improving communication, having a greater sense of ease, and increasing your self-esteem.
EMDR
I also offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing), an effective way of resolving trauma. I received my EMDR training from the Parnell Institute. In EMDR we use bilateral stimulation in order to reprocess traumatic memories and heal more fully from them. While EMDR can be extremely effective, you have to be ready for its effects — sometimes it takes some regular talk therapy before EMDR is indicated. When appropriate, EMDR can help remove blocks that keep you from living a full life. I offer EMDR virtually via RemotEMDR.
My services are available to adult residents of California.
Reach out