Therapy is political.
Our political and social climate has a direct impact on all of us. One of the most important parts of therapy, and one of the biggest contributors to its success for the client, is the quality of our relationship (called the therapeutic alliance). So for our therapy to be successful, it’s extremely important that you feel safe with me. For that reason, I believe it is important to share some of my beliefs and values, including that I am queer and trans-allied, BIPOC allied, and generally hold progressive political views.
My identities: I am a white, straight, cisgender woman. I am able-bodied and neurodivergent. I am married and the parent of one toddler. I belong to many privileged groups, and it is my responsibility to acknowledge that and keep that in mind in the therapeutic work that I do. As a licensed clinical social worker, I have received extensive education and training around social justice issues, and participate in continuing education (both formally and in my own research) around issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, and general cultural competence/humility.
That being said: you are the expert on your own experience! No group is a monolith. I look forward to hearing your story. :-)
My therapeutic approach:
Therapy is a highly personal experience, and I believe in tailoring my therapeutic approach to each individual client. Here are some theories and modalities I may pull from in our work together:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—How we talk to ourselves matters. We may examine your thoughts, work on building awareness around unhelpful self-talk, and develop some more helpful framing around thoughts that are particularly sticky. In many cases, our work will also incorporate behavioral changes through routines and self-care practices.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—When we experience negative or intrusive thoughts, oftentimes our first response is distress or rumination—which in turn just makes us feel worse! In ACT, a specific form of CBT, we work on increasing our psychological flexibility and being able to detach (or defuse) from our unhelpful thoughts.
Personal Values—I love to try to align our work with what matters most to you. How can we create more space in your busy life for what’s important? This might include completing a values inventory!
Systems Theory/Feminist Lens—I firmly believe that our mental health is deeply informed by the larger systems we are a part of (family, work, social, etc.) and though deep, often unconscious socialization of norms, roles, and expectations for what it means to be a human in America. Sometimes, breaking down these assumptions around race, sexuality, gender, work, etc. and their impact on us can be a springboard for deeper work and healing.