My Approach

Therapy that helps you create real change

You may already understand a lot about yourself. You know where your anxiety comes from. You recognize your patterns. You may even know why you shut down, overthink, or pull away when things get difficult. But understanding something intellectually doesn't always make it easier to change.

My approach is grounded in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), a form of therapy that combines insight with a deeper focus on your emotional experience. Rather than simply talking about what's happening, we slow down and pay attention to what you're experiencing in the moment and use that awareness to create new possibilities for change.

Understanding your patterns

Many of the patterns that cause problems today began as ways of protecting yourself.

Maybe you learned to handle everything on your own. Maybe you became highly productive when you're anxious. Maybe you learned not to need too much from other people. Or maybe you shut down when emotions become overwhelming.

These patterns usually make sense when we understand where they came from. The goal isn't to judge them or force them away. It's to understand what they're doing for you and gradually create more freedom in how you respond.

Going beyond talking

In AEDP, we pay attention to what happens right now, not just what happened in the past.

As you talk, we might slow down and notice:

• What are you feeling?

• What do you notice in your body?

• What happens when you get close to something difficult?

• What are you wanting or needing in this moment?

For example, you might notice that you become frustrated whenever you feel vulnerable, or that you start making jokes when a conversation gets emotionally uncomfortable. These moments can help us understand what's underneath a pattern that has been difficult to change.

You don't have to force yourself to feel anything before you're ready. We work at a pace that feels manageable and safe.

Change happens in relationship

A central idea in AEDP is that we heal in connection with other people.

Our relationship becomes part of the work. I'm not simply observing you from across the room or trying to analyze you. I'm actively engaged with you. I’m curious, responsive, and paying attention to what is happening between us.

For someone who is used to handling everything alone, being genuinely understood and supported can itself be a new experience. Over time, these experiences can make it easier to connect with others, express what you need, tolerate difficult emotions, and respond differently when old patterns show up.

Making room for something new

Therapy isn't about becoming a different person. It's about having more freedom to be yourself.

As you become more connected to your emotions and understand your protective patterns, you may find yourself responding differently. You might set a boundary instead of shutting down. Stay present instead of avoiding. Allow yourself to be vulnerable instead of pulling away. Feel sadness, anger, or fear without being overwhelmed by it.

You may also discover emotions that have been harder to access such as relief, pride, gratitude, compassion, or a deeper sense of connection. These moments are important. In AEDP, we slow down and help you take them in, so that positive change becomes something you can actually carry with you beyond therapy.

My goal is not simply to help you feel better. It's to help you understand yourself more deeply, feel more fully, and have greater freedom in how you live and relate to the people you care about.