Families under stress are a bit like a knot of strings— it can be difficult to know the source of the tangle or what is needed to get it released. I offer collaborative parent consultation and skills-based psychotherapy for families to help untie those knots.
I have been working with youth and families for over two decades. Raising humans during these complex times, on such dynamic and constantly shifting terrain, brings unique challenges. With this as the background, I specialize in:
Installing or restoring parental leadership, during a time where parents are under tremendous stress and often find themselves confused and lost in terms of how to guide their families.
Building new communication habits and patterns — this often involves helping young people take responsibility for their actions, and helping adults understand the meaning of behavior.
Bridging connection, empathy, and understanding within relationships. Paradoxically, the sources of greatest tension and frustration within family relationships are often in the places where we have the most in common.
I use a variety of evidence-based tools, including:
ART and SOMATIC strategies— learning to tune in and listen to what’s happening on the inside is a key component of emotion regulation.
Psychoeducation— a little information can go a long way in helping empower young people to take responsibility for their growth. I like to offer concrete, developmentally-appropriate explanations of what we’re working on together so that we’re all on the same page.
SPACE— this is a form of treatment for symptoms of OCD and Anxiety that assists parents and caregivers in learning to respond effectively to childhood anxiety by reducing behavioral accommodations (i.e., trying to make things easier for a child by avoiding things that upset them). Developed at Yale Child Study Center, it is a powerful tool in reducing symptoms of OCD, Specific Phobias, and Generalized Anxiety.