Individual Psychotherapy

Philosophy

As people who have often experienced trauma – big and small – from our families and a biased/oppressive society as a whole, we sometimes doubt ourselves, suppress our own emotions, and find ourselves in relationships and situations that continue the harm. Even when we overcome, we can still have difficulty enjoying the rewards from our hard work, navigating new environments with unspoken rules, and healing from past pain. I am here to help you break unhealthy patterns, get connected to your emotions, and cultivate relationships that affirm you.

I believe that everyone deserves to not only heal but to also thrive. You are inherently special and connected to something greater than yourself. It just may be the case that the tools and coping strategies you once used are no longer working for you. It’s time to learn something new, figure out a different way of communicating, and embrace a different perspective.

I am here to help you become the person you are destined to be, the real you, not a persona, or who you think you should be. I am here to teach you the skills you need to move through the pain to live a life of purpose. You don’t have to be “just like your daddy” or “end up alone.” You don’t have to “sacrifice yourself like your mother did.” You don’t have to be “an abomination” or “a statistic.” You are not “shameful.” “Bad,” “bougie,” and “boss” do not have to be negative things. There is nothing innately wrong with you. Let’s work together to build a healthier relationship with yourself and others.

Combining the strengths of your culture, mindfulness, spirituality, and cognitive therapy I will guide you on a journey of getting in touch with your emotions and the trauma that lives under your skin. Together, we will process past and recent events, the emotions attached to them, and determine where those emotions live in the body. We will also examine the hidden messages about your emotions that you may have unknowingly internalized. I'll teach you how to challenge, accept, and change emotions – as appropriate – to learn new ways of being.

The relationship between a person and their therapist is a unique one. The focus is on you, but you are not alone. With me as your therapist, you will have a partner, an advocate, a co-conspirator, and a protector of the most vulnerable parts of you. Both of us are in this together. I invite you to be an active participant in this partnership. You are the expert on you. I am an expert in mental health. Let’s combine that expertise to reach your goals.