CBT Services
Evidenced-based treatment for children & adolescents, parents, & adults.
I offer a range of CBT services for children (ages 6+), teens, and adults. Cognitive behavioral therapy has over 50 treatment unique components that range from the behaviorism movement of the 1980s (Exposure Therapy) to the third-wave interventions of the 2010s (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). Having helped hundreds who have not benefitted from previous treatment, I have learned to employ the five key factors to treatment success:
The Relationship
I believe that to be human is to struggle. We are all doing the best we can to cope. I create a caring, non-judgmental space to consult to the human in the room with me, someone that has valuable life experience that can be built upon to work together towards shared goals.
The Delivery
I work to find the right style of delivery that works. Everyone has different learning styles, preferred methods of emotional processing, and contexts that promote vulnerability. In one clinical day, I might be on the floor coloring with a young kiddo, playing basketball with a teen, meeting remotely with a college student, and discussing Ted Talks with a CEO.
The Teaching
Using experiential learning, metaphors, diagrams, behavioral experiments, and research studies, I am always looking to identify and teach concrete CBT tools that help with emotional regulation, crisis survival, interpersonal effectiveness, and quality of life.
The Generalization
Emotional learning is context dependent. This means learning something in my office on Tuesday morning doesnt translate to effective implementation on Saturday night without tactful treatment design. This often involves 24/7 skills coaching, purposefully practicing techniques in multiple contexts, and coping ahead for upcoming challenges in detail.
The Systems
Part of my previous research involved Bronfrenbrenner's Bioecological Model and I remain heavily influenced by this theory. We all live in immediate environments (e.g., family, social, school, work) that interact and shape how we act, in addition to localized and broader societal systems that influence our thinking and behavior as well. Effective therapy involves assessing, building awareness, and sometimes intervening on how these systems influence behavior. The best therapy sometimes involves permission to consider and challenge the systems we live in.
Benefits of CBT
Therapy for your child or yourself does more than reduce emotional suffering:
Improved Mental Health
We all deserve help in life. No one is born with crippling anxiety, self-hatred, overwhelming guilt, substance abuse, etc. Rather, learned beliefs about ourselves and the world come from generational and environmental traumas, bullying, toxic relationships, systems not understanding neurodiversity or mental health problems, ingrained patterns of avoidance, etc. Therapy creates a space to change thinking and behavioral patterns that, as shown by research, allow for emotional health, success towards life goals, and improved relationships.
Life Resiliency
As mentioned above, to struggle is to be human. So much in our life is out of our control. Therapy focuses on three main resiliency approaches: effectively solving a problem (changing priorities, environments, etc.), changing your relationship to the problem (getting perspective on how much it matters), or accepting what cant be changed in order to move forward effectively ("pain + non-acceptance = suffering"). Unfortunately, resiliency involves a willingness and tolerance of short-term discomfort that is not core to our human nature. We are programmed as mammals to love short-term relief, such as avoidance. Therapy helps cultivate the perspectives and tools to "lean in" when life gives us challenges.
Enhanced Self-Awareness
"By becoming self-aware, you gain ownership of reality." This quote by Deepak Chopra has resonated with the clinical work I do, regardless if I am helping a teenager identify their core values and self-beliefs or working with an adult who has lost themselves after a trauma in their life. I always say, self-awareness is like turning the light on in a dark room of life. It makes navigating obstacles in the way much easier! Emotional regulation, decision making, and cognitive control are impaired without self-awareness. This is true for all ages.
Better Cognitive Function & Problem Solving
Therapy has been shown to improve cognitive functioning and problem solving by addressing multiple human dimensions that are easily neglected without observation, reflection, and skill building. These dimensions include biological vulnerabilities (sleep, diet, exercise), environmental influences (awareness and management of distractions and emotional triggers), and cognitive tools. These cognitive tools aim to reduce rumination, minimize unjustified emotionality, improve tolerance of uncertainty and imperfection, and increase mindfulness and self-compassion.