About Therapy

A Beautiful Setting for Your Experience

Driving through Palm Springs on East Tahquitz Canyon Way to your therapy appointment is so convenient.

Downtown Palm Springs is dotted by vibrant restaurants, coffee shops, and retail stores. Our colorful desert village is characterized by acceptance, creativity, and inclusion.

It’s a good start to feeling safe and supported in your therapy experience!

When you come to my office, have a seat just inside the glass doors in our waiting room. If you have made it this far, you will have already completed your paperwork though my online portal. All you need to do is relax and think about what you would like to talk about in your appointment.

There is the obligatory white noise machine humming to ensure your privacy. Nobody needs to know your business but us.

My mid-century inspired office is right out of a Mad Men episode. It is inviting and whimsical.

Getting Started…

On the first session, I like to listen to what brought you into therapy…

… and then I ask a lot of questions I ask everyone on their first visit. I will want to know all about your childhood, family history, relationship history, experiences with therapy, substance use, current symptoms, and self-care practices.

Knowing about you is my job.

My General Approach

So, therapy involves a good bit of talking about the past and thinking about how earlier experiences and relationships have shaped how you feel about yourself and about life.

Your habits have a lot to do with how well you are feeling and coping with the twists and turns of life.

My approach is to see what is working and what is not working in your life, and then focus therapy on helping you create a better life moving forward.

Interactive Therapy: Never “Just Sitting There”

Yes, I am a very interactive therapist… but what exactly does that mean?

Many clients complain about therapists who “just sit there and say nothing for 50 minutes.”

Sometimes there is value in “just sitting there,” because it gives you the time to think and explore and just experience your emotions.

That being said, please know that I am very involved in your experience whether I am talking or not. It is never “just sitting there.”

Solutions Where You Are

My goal is to meet you where you are.

I’ll listen and ask questions that get you thinking and feeling and coming up with your own solutions.

I am not at all invested in telling you how to live your life; but I am invested in your being healthy, meeting your own goals, and having fewer symptoms.

My job is to point out what I see that is hindering your progress and to acknowledge the efforts you are making in the service of your improved life journey.

Rolling Up Our Sleeves

We may work on creating a meditation practice or doing breathing exercises to get started.

We may talk about the benefits of journaling to improve your relationship with yourself.

We may even have you on the floor in “happy baby pose” if we need to change your emotional state quickly.

We may just sit there in mindful appreciation – taking a few deep breaths and watch the play of colors on the sky.

I am down to try whatever works!

Safely Exploring Your Emotions

Getting out of your head and into your body is one of the best ways to improve your mental health.

Being selective about how and when you think is a key to feeling better.

Sometimes there is nothing to be done other than just feel your feelings. Mindfulness and appreciation are cornerstones of my work, and they are both validated as evidence-based practices that improve mood.

Having a trusted therapist with whom you feel safe to explore your emotions is often the key to feeling better.

Ideally, therapy helps you practice feeling and understanding your emotions so that you can face your life with more confidence and a toolbox full of mental health skills.

You’re Not Alone

For over 20 years, I have sat in the therapist chair. I have heard what people from all walks of life think about themselves – and, believe me, no matter what you are going through, you are not alone.

Many people who come to therapy think they have the market cornered on being a failure or messing things up.

Well, I’m here to tell you: Join the club called the human race! We are all fumbling along and figuring it out as we go!

Company for Your Journey

One of the worst things you can do for your mental health is to withdraw, isolate, and NOT ask for the help you need.

You deserve to have some company on your journey, so I encourage you to reach out and get some support!

Take a look at everything in your life with an open mind, and let therapy address your goals and bring you the relief and clarity you seek.