I find that prioritizing and validating one's experiences is integral to understanding what a person is experiencing. Each individual has their own story and it is important to recognize the obstacles they had to endure. This is why pace is so important. I take things as slow as you need to, as to not increase symptoms. By using a trauma-informed approach, I assess one's foundational needs such as safety, then explore ways to build safety, rapport, and trust.

Objectives: To foster safety, trust, rapport, and mutual respect. Taking things at your pace, without rushing you.

As the name suggests, client-centered therapy is an approach that focuses on the individual themselves. Carl Rogers (hence Rogerian) is known as one of the primary visionaries for this theory. In this approach, the client is the expert and the therapist is merely a guide and supporter. In other words, you (the client) have the strengths to take control of your life and do what's best for yourself. I find this approach to be very empowering. Three primary concepts that I build my practice upon are unconditional positive regard, empathetic understanding, and genuineness.

Objectives: By using this approach, I promote autonomy, advocacy, and empowerment.

If you are familiar with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), REBT has similar concepts. Essentially, REBT places a bit more emphasis on the acceptance component. In both CBT and REBT, clients would work toward countering irrational beliefs and restructuring the way one views things. Ideas I might pull from REBT are using humor, guided imagery, and unconditional positive acceptance. Understanding and accepting that we are all human, in which case we are entitled to mistakes. We aren't perfect, we're human.

Objectives: Get more in touch with acceptance and understand how emotions influence your behaviors.

This approach is very structured, challenging, and rewarding. It requires dedication and diligence as well as a strong rapport between client and clinician. We will start with grounding techniques, coping skills, and assess whether CPT-SA is right for you. In this approach, we process your trauma, slowly and thoroughly. It is a lengthy approach and requires writing out the account of the event, processing it in session, untangling negative beliefs, and finding ways to build safety within ourselves.

Objectives: Process unresolved trauma, truly believe that what happened to you was not your fault, how to find safety within yourself, and be able to create interpersonal relationships again. Decrease post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Promote long-term healing by addressing the roots of the trauma, not the surface.

This approach is based on the idea that unhelpful thinking patterns (thoughts) influence our behaviors and effect our emotions. Our thinking patterns become habits that have long-term, sometimes negative consequences.

Objectives: With this approach, we will untangle negative thought patterns and replace them with positive reframes. We’ll also get more in touch with our feelings and understand the triggers we have.

This approach is very individualized, structured, and is based on problem-solving. I meet you where you are at, play into your strengths, and help you identify “exceptions” or what has worked in the past. This approach is more present and future-focused and is also built on creating a safe environment for exploration.

Objectives: Use collaborative techniques to create action steps catered to you.