My primary goal is to listen for sources of loss, unresolved issues, and problems connecting with others and oneself. Sometimes the source of discontent is in front of us, and sometimes the source is underneath many layers that have protected us from pain. We will listen for clues from the past, family patterns, and our interactions as we develop a picture of the tasks we need to work on.
How I Work
At the heart of my approach is attachment theory, which is a framework for understanding the different ways people learn to relate to themselves and others. It offers a lens for recognizing our patterns of connection and expectation, and a path toward building stronger trust, both in ourselves and in our relationships, as we develop new ways of communicating.
With children, I use play therapy, which meets them in their natural language: play. Through play, children develop their earliest beliefs about how the world works, their own strengths, their worries about themselves and their place among others, and what it means to connect with others in a caring, mutual way. I often work with children alongside their caregivers, so that caregivers can be active partners in strengthening the bond at the center of a child’s development.