My Philosophy
Effective therapy starts at the junction of genuine connection, empathy, & true understanding.
Here's what I believe:
You're doing your best.
Maybe it feels like you never do enough or reach your/other's standards; however, you are doing what you can with your energy, resources, access, time, and all the factors that go into "humaning".
Self-acceptance > self-esteem.
Self-esteem is conditional, meaning we only see ourselves in a positive light when we perform well or meet our own expectations. Conversely, self-acceptance doesn't have any prerequisites and gives us room for "error".
Every emotion is valid.
Emotions are not wrong or bad--they are signals and information from the brain & body about our experiences. Allowing them can enable processing and new, mindful responses.
You're the expert on you.
You know best what works for your life and what doesn't. With my guidance and your insight, we can find the techniques and directions that feel the most suitable to you.
You're capable of change.
The brain can be rewired at any stage of life. Just because you haven't changed something yet doesn't mean it isn't possible. That only means it's complex & hard (and you don't have to do it alone).
All coping is adaptive.
Adaptation isn't about healthy or unhealthy--it's about survival. You've found ways to exist in your world and there's no shame in that.
HOW I WORK
Therapy with me is not about fixing you, because I don’t believe you’re broken. I believe most of what we call “symptoms” are actually your nervous system’s best attempt to keep you safe in environments that didn’t make room for your full humanity. So instead of jumping in to challenge your thoughts or change your behaviors, I help you uncover the emotional and environmental forces that keep the cycles of self-doubt, shame, and people-pleasing spinning.
At the center of my work is a deeply person-centered approach. I don't come in with an agenda or a checklist of things to fix. I pay close attention to what feels helpful and what doesn’t, and I follow your pace, not mine. I offer thoughts, patterns I notice, and theories you have the power to take or leave. This work is built on trust, and that trust gets earned, not expected.
I PUT COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) INTO TRAUMA-INFORMED, SHAME-FOCUSED WORK. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
While I may occasionally offer a cognitive reframe or challenge when it feels supportive, I don’t lead with thought correction or logic-based strategies. I prioritize your nervous system, your story, and the deeper patterns shaped by trauma and shame. CBT is just one lens I draw from, and only when it truly fits. If a technique helps us make sense of or tend to what’s underneath, we’ll use it. If it skips over your lived experience or pushes change without safety, it's a solid no.
WHAT I MIGHT USE IN OUR WORK TOGETHER
Somatic practices, to gently connect with your body’s wisdom. Whether it’s learning to notice a tight chest, a clenched jaw, or a collapsed posture, we’ll tune into how your body holds emotion and how it might begin to release some of it, too. These practices are always optional and paced based on your comfort.
Mindfulness and present-moment awareness, not as a fix, but as a way of coming home to yourself. Because I’m trauma-trained, I understand that mindfulness can feel overwhelming or even activating for some. I work with your unique window of tolerance and never force mindfulness practices when they don’t feel safe or helpful. We’ll find ways to stay present that actually support your nervous system instead bypassing or overwhelming it.
Parts work (inspired by Internal Family Systems), where we get to know the different “parts” of you, like the inner critic, the perfectionist, the shutdown protector. These parts often carry shame or were developed in response to it. We meet them with curiosity and compassion in order to learn the very unique and brilliant function of their roles.
Relational and psychodynamic insight, to gently explore how early experiences may be shaping the nature of your current self-criticism, boundaries, or people-pleasing patterns. This isn’t about dwelling in the past, but rather understanding how it still echoes in the present, and what those echoes are asking for now.
Collaborative learning, where I offer gentle insight and education around what might be happening in your mind, body, or nervous system. Whether we’re talking about shame cycles, boundaries, or trauma responses, I’ll always invite you into understanding your experience. My goal is to help you feel more empowered, not more pathologized.
ROOTED IN ANTI-OPPRESSION & LIBERATION
I work hard to ensure that therapy with me doesn’t replicate the same systems that may have harmed you. My work is grounded in a liberatory, anti-oppressive lens—which means I actively unlearn and reject influences like white supremacy, patriarchy, and hyperindividualism in the therapy space. I don’t believe therapy should pathologize people for normal responses to unjust systems.
This includes being sensitive to and exploring how identity, race, gender, class, and neurodivergence have shaped and continue to shape your experiences.
BOTTOM LINE
Therapy with me is a space for self-trust, shame resilience, and empowerment. Whether you're navigating self-doubt, people-pleasing, or chronic shame, I’m here to help you unlearn all the ick so you can reconnect with living beyond survival.
