My Services
01.
"Awareness is the greatest agent for change (Eckhart Tolle)." At times we lack balanced insight about our emotional responses because of our close proximity to a present situation or past hurt. In a setting of trust, between therapist and client, breakthroughs await. With professional guidance techniques, I partner with individuals as they create new thinking habits, change behavioral patterns, turn trauma to wisdom and make space for new beginnings by letting go what once was.
02.
"The most functional way to regulate difficult emotions in love relationships is to share them" (Sue Johnson). Often, members of a couple possess needs and desires which are more similar than they are different. Through improved communication, increased vulnerability and the reparation of trust, couples can find their way back to meaningful connection. John Gottman proposed that "successful long-term relationships are created through small words, small gestures, and small acts." My goal, as a therapist, is to assist romantic partners in recognizing bids for attention, expressing emotional needs and allowing space for each member to be a unique individual while operated as a united team. I specialize in mixed-faith couples and have a detailed understanding of the LDS and Catholic faith traditions.
03.
Because "play is the work of children" (Maria Montessori), therapists can learn a great deal about the inner workings of a young person by observing their recreation. The facility of Red Rock Counseling Center has a pristine Play Therapy room, stocked with appropriate and inclusive toys, which gives way for your child to communicate concerns, hurts and hopes.
Additionally, teens of this decade face a pace and pressures which are markedly different from those of yesteryear. Such variations impact the processing, bidding and experience of static human needs such as affection, belonging and autonomy. With a trusted counselor, young persons can deeply hear themselves as they feel profoundly heard.
I find great joy is helping children and teens learn to effectively evaluate their own emotions, process trauma, clearly communicate, establish healthy boundaries and access positive self-regard.
04.
You may have heard it said that we hold issues in our tissues. This is more than a catchy phrase . . . it has scientific merit. Author of The Body Keeps the Score (Bessel A. van der Kolk) explained that "mindfulness increases activation of the medial prefrontal cortex and decreases activation of structures like the amygdala that trigger our emotional responses. This increases our control over the emotional brain." I offer a unique alchemy of expertise to address both emotional and physical manifestations of trauma. Yoga and mindfulness can sooth bodily systems, quiet mind chatter and release emotional stagnation.
05.
Irvin Yalom, expert in group psychotherapy, suggested that "to love means to be actively concerned for the life and growth of another." With a group therapy approach, the counselor guides participants in lending support and insight to one another in a safely structured environment. I carefully craft groups by interviewing participants prior to the establishment of therapy. Group counseling lays the groundwork for catharsis, hope, universality, altruism, cohesion and education. Truly the group belongs to the group. I structure both skill-based and process groups, including (but not limited to) Grief Recovery Method, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Mindful Yoga Practice.
06.
With a Master of Science in Counseling and certifications in yoga, personal training, and Integrative Nutrition, I am prepared to offer a multi-faceted approach to wellness. "Health is a state of complete mental, social and physical well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (World Health Organization). With a holistic viewpoint, I encourage clients to claim a renewed sense of peace, happiness and emotional freedom.