I believe that the essence of our human nature is creative and needs relational and expressive communication. We seek expressivity in all aspects of our being, including difficult and/or traumatizing situations. We creatively adapt to life’s challenges and find creative strategies to survive its traumas. However, these adaptations also effect our thoughts, beliefs, feelings and actions, and can be reflected in psychological and physical symptoms. I believe these symptoms are not pathology, weaknesses or faults, but creative tactics for effective survival.
I approach my psychotherapeutic work by respecting the Self’s longing for more than mere survival, but to experience well-being and transformative growth. Rather than diagnosing or pathologizing a person’s attempts to survive adaptively to their environment, I focus on my client’s creative impulses and collaborate with them to find constructive and relationally-viable expression.
I believe emotions and feelings must hold equal status with thoughts and actions. Current neuropsychological research supports this. Feelings form the core of who we are and the motivations we employ. They must be listened to and their meaning understood so that we can act with choice and agency.
Connection to our feelings is not always easy, however creating an alliance of body and mind in the psychotherapeutic process is an essential first step. I use an empathically attuned approach supplemented as needed by mindfulness and body awareness (somatic) techniques. I am continually delighted to explore and learn with my clients as they discover their dynamically evolving, creative, expressive Self.