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Anyone and everyone can benefit from therapy.

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"Connection- the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship."

– Brene Brown

Trauma Work

I believe most of us have past hurts and traumas that affect who we are and how we do life. Traumatic experiences from the past affect us as individuals, spouses, parents, friends, employees, etc… These Negative Cognitions become who we are, they define us; affecting our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and choices. Using the works of Pia Melody and somatic therapy we can start the journey of healing from these traumatic experiences.

I am certified in and use Brainspotting, a powerful, focused therapy approach which works by helping people locate, process, and release sources of emotional and physical pain and trauma where it has been suppressed in the brain.

Partners of Sex Addicts

The discovery for partners that their spouse or significant other is a sex addict is traumatizing and while the behaviors of the addict is not about the partner it profoundly impacts him or her. Once we provide an understanding of the partner trauma they have suffered and create stability we will then walk partners through the tasks and phases involved in healing from betrayal trauma.

Sexual Addiction

Sexual addiction is defined as any sexually related, compulsive behavior which interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones, and one’s work environment.
What Defines a Sex Addict?
No single behavior pattern defines sexual addiction. These behaviors, when they have taken control of addicts’ lives and become unmanageable, may include:

 Compulsive masturbation
 Compulsive use of pornography
 Prostitution
 Anonymous sex
 Chronic affairs
 Exhibitionism
 Voyeurism
 Indecent phone calls / Internet chats and video
 Exploitive sex
 Boundary violations
 Fetish behavior to the exclusion of other behaviors

Using the task centered approach developed by Patrick Carnes we will develop an individualized treatment plan. Once the compulsive behaviors are managed we will also begin trauma work to include an in depth study of your family of origin to identify where these behaviors originated and how you were shaped to be who you are today.

Love Addiction

Just like in any other addiction, love and relationship addicts are searching for something outside of themselves – a person, relationship, or experience – to provide them with the emotional and life stability they lack. When they are not in a relationship, they feel desperate, unworthy, and alone until they find a new potential mate and get to experience the high of “falling in love” once more. I specialize in working with this population and will start by helping you to identify these patterns and once sobriety has been established doing some family of origin and trauma work to understand these behaviors and what purpose they served.

Narcissist Abuse Recovery

Narcissism and emotional abuse are becoming more open topics of discussion. These may be newer terms, but it’s certainly not a newer problem. It’s not always easy to recognize what is going on when you love someone who may display narcissistic traits and behaviors.

A relationship such as this can make you feel:
 Constantly blamed
 Confused
 Guilty
 Anxious / depressed
 Like you’re walking on eggshells
 As if you’re the crazy one.

And, you may not have a name for the behaviors that make you feel bad about yourself. Some women tell me, “I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.” Yet, you know that these types of relationships are painful.

For, they can cause you to:
 Feel alone and constantly misunderstood;
 Experience almost daily feelings of guilt & self-doubt;
 Defend yourself often from blame;
 Become confused about your relationship;
 Walk on eggshells wondering if what you say will set him off;
 Keep hoping things will get better;
 Have thoughts about ending the relationship;
 Feel resigned or stuck.

Not everyone understands the difficulties of living with someone who is narcissist. I do, and I’ll educate you so you’ll have new and healthier behavioral options in your toolbox. I will teach you the rules by which a narcissist operates so you can disengage from these painful dynamics. Feeling empowered in your life and being yourself is our goal.

Codependency

When a woman loves too much she can easily place her focus on another person, whether her significant relationship partner, a child or someone with an active addiction, losing an important connection to herself.

When this happens, it can become difficult to:
 Easily make decisions;
 Distinguish your needs from the needs of others;
 Stop placing other people first;
 Say, “No” when you really want to;
 Set appropriate boundaries without feeling guilty;
 Not take on too much responsibility, both physical and emotional.

Women who struggle with codependency tend to be very nice and are kind to others, sometimes to a fault. This can easily draw in those who take advantage of them. Or, they may find themselves in unbalanced relationships. Healing codependency is something I can help you with through therapy.

Group Therapy

Group therapy produces specific dynamics that increase healing and fosters a culture of cohesiveness, support, and integration. The interaction between group members provides the engine for change, and my role as group leader is to facilitate that experience for the group members. Groups, which meet weekly, are typically limited to eight people and last ninety minutes.