Philosophy Of Care
My therapeutic philosophy stems from the belief that we are immensely capable of growth so that we can flourish in our lives. I bring a relational approach rooted in compassion and empathy, as well as tools based in current neuroscientific understanding, to help you reach greater awareness, insight and contentment in all areas of your life. You are the creator of your growth – both the seed and the gardener, while I see myself as an extra nutrient helping you activate and reach your potential at every step of the way. Together we will build your very own trellis – a structure that will support you as you gain in wisdom and skills. With this structure, you will be able to step forward into the life you want, so that you can thrive with strength and confidence.
A Scientific Understanding Of Your Brain And Emotions
With the explosion of research into the workings of the brain, neuroscientists are now able to help therapists better understand how the mind works. Throughout our work together, I will bring you the most current neuro-scientific information, so that you can better understand how your brain can make the changes you want to make. Many people find this approach to be both reassuring and fascinating.
In essence, psychotherapy helps people uncover, accept, or even change their emotions, attitudes, and assumptions, by growing new neural networks that actually change the way the mind thinks and reacts. My therapeutic task is to work with you to identify key thoughts and feelings, and offer ways to restructure, rebuild, or amplify the emotions and thoughts you already have. You will learn strategies to increase your ability to tolerate and accept that which is painful in our lives – physical illness, unexpected losses, changes in our finances, etc.
Together, we become a team of neural (meaning brain) construction workers and architects, helping to shape the actual structure of the brain so we can change our thoughts and emotions. But how does this actually work?
Neurons That Fire Together, Wire Together
Think of your brain as being filled with millions of wires, which transport electricity (your thoughts) to other thoughts, which travel to the body, causing – or responding to – sensations (feelings) or stimulating movement – walking, speaking, etc. When we continually think the same way, we have wired the electrical pathway to take the same route all the time. So, if we keep thinking a negative thought – such as, “I am stupid,” we will continue to wire that thought into our brain and, therefore, it will be embedded in all that we think and feel. If we change that thought to “sometimes I make mistakes and sometimes I do okay,” then we will change the neural structure of our mind, leaving room for new feelings and thoughts, which can change our behavior and our emotions.
This is a crucial understanding of how and why psychotherapy works. By learning new ways to see yourself and your situation, you can change your brain. By discovering the many emotions you experience and learning ways to accept, have compassion for, or even change your feelings, you are changing your brain.
When we work together, you are growing your observational self and altering your inner speech; you are changing your behavior and, in turn, changing your life.
Growing Inner Resources
Rewiring your brain helps you to grow inner resources that help you to increase your capacity to trust yourself and the world around you. Dr. Rick Hanson, a neuropsychologist, has developed a treatment approach, which I often utilize, that encourages the strengthening of your own inner resources. Some of these resources include compassion, kindness, self-observation, positive thoughts, motivation, values, capabilities and talents. Helping you to strengthen what is already IN you can help you become who you want to be – and already are!
Inner Speech
Recent research has opened up new possibilities in understanding the concept of self-talk, a common cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategy in which you notice what kind of words you use to speak to yourself, and work to offer more compassionate self-talk. Researchers are now getting a clearer idea as to just how helpful – and common – inner speech is. It turns out that, when we speak internally with a you-statement or an I-comment, we are actually IN DIALOGUE with ourselves – the parts of the brain that are activated are the same as when we speak to others. This gives further credence to the importance of noticing your inner critic, and helping you to gain compassion so that you can grow your inner caring committee. For some people, just knowing that these inner voices/images/sensations are normal, is deeply relaxing and already begins to shift how the person feels inside. For others, this knowledge can help them commit to creating an internal, compassionate witness that can lessen the inner judge.
Holistic Approach – Your Body
The brain is just one part of your body. Helping you to listen to your entire body, de-coding what the body is saying, is another part of treatment. This is exciting work – and it means learning to use relaxation techniques that include meditation and other mindfulness techniques, creative visualization, and learning to deeply experience the awareness that your body holds. When is the last time, for example, that you noticed the bones that hold your body in place? Or noticed the heart that beats in your chest, the air that you breathe into your lungs? Shifting out of the left-brain’s continual thinking, and into an awareness of your body, can reduce anxiety and lessen emotional reactivity.
Bringing awareness to your body can help your entire emotional experience.
Psychotherapy has broadened in the past few years to include the importance of growing your awareness – about your thoughts and feelings, your body, and about the way you experience your own behavior. This is an exciting time – and I am dedicated to bringing you the most current approaches and philosophies.
Compassion And Patience
Within the comfortable space of my office and/or via video or phone calling, we will work together to help you deepen your connection to your inner wisdom and take risks to gain new skills. I feel honored to have been chosen by those who work with me, and, in that spirit, I greatly value the opportunity to offer compassion and inquiry, strategies and patience, and a basic belief in the healing power of therapy.