What challenges are you most interested in resolving?
Below is a non-exhaustive list of the kinds of challenges that I help people with. If you still don’t see what you’re looking for, please contact me and I’ll provide you with an honest assessment of whether I think I can be of service to you.
Anger – Anger is one of those feelings that many people have a hard time dealing with. Feeling really angry, especially if it happens regularly, can cause you to be critical of yourself, feel ashamed, and even lash out. I help you unpack, understand, and unravel your anger, and encourage the safe expression of intense feelings in a supportive holding environment, and help you cultivate the skills necessary to transform your anger into an ally. I am familiar with the emotion of anger and all the potentially shameful or frightening thoughts and fantasies that can accompany it. I hold a clear vision of the wholeness and goodness of who you are beyond this challenge so that you can move toward healthy and skillful relating to your anger, yourself, and people in your life.
Confidence – From time to time, everybody struggles with their feelings of self-worth. Sometimes a lack of confidence is experienced when a person is disconnected from what they are most passionate about in life. Whether you’re going through a bad patch, suffer regularly from low self-esteem, or want to clarify what is closest to your heart, I can help you discover the deep confidence in Being that you need in order to feel confident in doing.
Existential Questioning – The world is changing quickly, and maybe you’re going through a period when your life is too. If the world or your life doesn’t make sense to you, you’re not alone, and there is a way through to clarity, direction, and empowerment. Perhaps surprisingly, the deepest questions of human existence can be answered not by reading or sitting at the feet of a guru, but by learning a few simple techniques for deep inner listening. I offer an experiential, holistic counseling/educational approach for helping you rediscover the meaning and purpose of your life when “things fall apart”, when life doesn’t make sense the way it used to, or when you feel lost and don’t know who you are anymore.
Food and Body Image Issues – This service is for all genders, and my approach is weight-neutral and body-positive. Regardless of gender, most people struggle with some “flavor” of food and body image challenge during their lives, even men. In fact, men are increasingly impacted by the same negative cultural messaging regarding their bodies that women have been up against for a long time. The guidance I offer provides a gentle and compassionate approach that will help you let go of limiting beliefs that keep you locked in unhealthy patterns of thinking and feeling about yourself. I support you as you discover the inner resources to finally, once and for all, cultivate a healthy relationship with your body and with food.
Grief and Loss – Have you experienced a significant loss? Are you finding it hard to talk to people about it? Do you receive messages that you should be hurrying up and getting over your grief? Suffering the loss of someone or something we hold dear is perhaps one of the most difficult things to go through in life, be it a loved one, the loss of a long cherished dream, the end of a relationship, or the destruction of the environment. One of the hardest things about experiencing a significant loss is finding someone and someplace where it feels safe to explore all of the challenging feelings that are emerging. I offer a compassionate, safe space and encourage you to take all the time you need to move through your grief. There is a way back to enjoying life.
Inner Critic Work – Learning to treat yourself without judgment and criticism can be hard to do on your own, especially when you’ve grown up in a world that teaches you at every turn that there is something wrong with you. Having a counselor who recognizes your inherent goodness and worth, as well as your talents and gifts might be the missing ingredient to getting back into right relationship with yourself and expressing yourself authentically and powerfully from a place of compassionate self-acceptance.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” ~Carl Rogers
Men’s Issues – In today’s society, men are expected to be in control and be strong, but also emotionally literate and vulnerable. For these and other reasons, it’s often confusing and harder for men to talk about their struggles. You can be assured of my confidentiality and discretion. A holistic counseling approach considers gender as a factor in our emotional state and happiness and supports your work toward clarifying who you are as a man and what gifts you have to bring to the world.
Relationship Challenges – In the work of dealing with challenges that come up in intimate relationships, we begin by looking at the relationship we have with ourselves. The support I offer helps you to see how your own dissonant relationship with yourself may be creating problems with your significant other, be they friend, partner, etc. More often than not, getting back onto “right relationship” and cultivating a dignified, compassionate, and respectful relationship with yourself is the first step to creating fulfilling relationships with others.
Spiritual Development – Much pain and suffering come from believing we are separate for the rest of existence. A holistic, transpersonal approach to counseling and coaching facilitates the healing of this primary wound, bringing about the remembrance of our connection to all life, and making way for a deeply embodied, conscious and healthy relationship with Self, others and the world. I help people discover their own path of heart and sense of calling needed to meet the challenges of life in the 21st century.
Stress – Most of us feel stressed at times and the pressures of life can certainly cause you to feel overwhelmed and anxious. I help people work through these common and negative impacts on our modern lives: stress, anxiety, panic attacks, and worry.
Thriving In A Climate Of Change – The emerging burden of climate change (as well as the implications of Peak Oil, resource depletion, Fukushima nuclear crisis, and the fragile economy, to name just a few), has impacts on psychological and emotional health and is becoming prevalent in American culture. Bereavement, depression, and post-event stress disorders are common responses to the severity and magnitude of challenges we face as individuals and as a community. Having someone to talk to about these things can make a big difference in how you feel and how you respond. I have a strong understanding of these matters and welcome you without judgment.
Work Related Issues – Even the most successful of people sometimes need to talk about their work life. Many people work in jobs that provide little self-expression and are often out of alignment with their values. This can create significant inner conflict, stress and emotional disruptions if not addressed. By guiding a gentle and compassionate “working through” process, I help people who are looking for ways to better manage their work and relationships, and who want to feel more fulfilled.
*I welcome adult clients of any race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship style, religion (or non-religion), creed, body size, etc. All are welcome!