Style

Licenses: CA PSY30624, TX 40100,
PsyPact E.Passport 18244

I take a very collaborative approach to therapy. You are the expert on your life, your history, and your current experience in the world. My job is to meet you wherever you are, to learn about your experience, and to combine that understanding with my own knowledge and experience in order to help you live a more peaceful and fulfilled life.

My style is warm, relaxed, and conversational, and I value authenticity and practicality. I am sensitive to mood, demeanor, and the therapeutic relationship.

CBT

My training and background is primarily cognitive-behavioral (CBT). The CBT framework informs how I conceptualize each client’s concerns and how I approach our collaborative plan for working together.

Exposure-based CBT is the most evidence-based and effective approach to treating both trauma- and anxiety-related disorders (e.g., PTSD, social anxiety, panic disorder, phobias). This is my specialty and preferred approach for these concerns.

Regarding PTSD treatment, I use Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for intensive trauma-focused work. I also offer other evidence-based approaches that help with general emotion regulation and anxiety/mood concerns, such as STAIR (Skills Training in Affective & Interpersonal Regulation) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) Skills. Both are excellent pre-cursors to PE or CPT, with a strong focus in mindfulness and distress tolerance.

A recent (August 2019) episode of This American Life highlighted CPT for PTSD. The piece is excellent and accurately reflects the CPT process. PE is similar, in regard to the structured approach and its effectiveness.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/682/ten-sessions

Bio-
psycho-social

I also work from a biopsychosocial framework. Mental health and well-being are impacted – not only by the way we think and emotionally respond to situations in-the-moment – but also by:

Biological factors. For example: genetic predispositions, our unique biochemistries, physiological and cognitive differences and limitations, etc. This also include our basic health behaviors: (1) diet/nutrition, (2) exercise/physical activity, and (3) sleep/leisure.

Historical factors. Though childhood or “mommy/daddy” issues are definitely not the focus of my practice, it is often helpful to consider developmental contributions to the current problem. In addition to childhood maltreatment and family-of-origin issues, the community and culture in which we grew up can greatly impact how we perceive and interact with our world (and the people in it) today.

Social/community factors. In addition, our wellbeing is also greatly impacted by the nature of our current communities, the culture of our workplaces, and the broader national/global issues that we’re bombarded with daily. How we cope within these broader contexts is also important.

Interpersonal/family factors. The quality of support we receive from our “close people”— close family, best friends, solid coworkers— is one of the strongest predictors of mental health and wellbeing. The quality of those relationships is paramount.