therapy approachMy Approach

My approach to counseling blends Eastern wisdom with Western science.  I draw from therapy and theoretical approaches including Hakomi, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).

Hakomi is a body-centered psychotherapy based in mindfulness that believes that change happens through accessing the interface between our mind and body.  Mindfulness is used to study how we organize our internal experience (i.e. thoughts, feelings, memories, physical sensations, impulses, etc.) from moment to moment.  Using this method we can uncover core beliefs and psychological patterns and revive the body’s knowledge as a resource.  Increasing our awareness and enabling emotional release at this deep level of ourselves, we learn new ways of being in the world and change becomes attainable. 

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a collaborative approach that helps you understand the different “parts” of yourself — like the part that worries, the part that gets angry, or the part that shuts down. Instead of seeing these reactions as problems, IFS views them as protective inner roles that developed for good reasons.

IFS helps you:

  • Get to know these parts with curiosity rather than judgment
  • Understand why they show up and what they’re trying to protect
  • Heal the hurt or overwhelmed parts beneath the surface
  • Strengthen your Self — the calm, confident, compassionate center that can lead your system

People often find IFS empowering because it doesn’t label you as “broken.” It helps you build a clearer, kinder relationship with yourself so your inner world feels more balanced, connected, and resilient.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an approach I use with couples to help clients understand their deeper emotions and needs and communicate them in effective ways to their partners. EFT focuses on our attachment styles, our wishes and longings, and our needs important to our personal identity. EFT is one of the most evidence-based, effective modalities to help couples find increased connection, reduce conflict and negative cycles in a relationship, and improve communication.