My generalist training means that I have the knowledge, skills and abilities to work across a wide range of psychological issues - depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship stress, low self-esteem, career troubles and family issues.
I have special expertise in the following areas.
For most people, these 'areas of expertise' will be an intuitive recognition of some of the distress that they are experiencing. However, unless a person has studied psychology, one will still have questions about how one's own distress matches with these diagnostic terms used in the field of psychology to understand different mental health conditions.
Don't worry - my effort is to understand you, your strengths and your distress, without trying to label you or have you fit into a checkbox. Most people experience stress from multiple sources, so it's best not to get caught up in labels.
Your Strengths and Needs Matched with My Expertise
Understanding one's symptoms are important (see Understanding Yourself) to see if they match with a therapists' clinical expertise. Another aspect is understanding the individual characteristics that can help you make the most of therapy. If you identify as someone who is introspective, patient and willing to try new behaviors - I would love to work with you! My clients are motivated, hard-working and not afraid to learn new skills.
Across different kinds of distress, I help people recognize their assumptions and expectations about themselves and the world, and the impact of these assumptions on their ability to be happy and content. I enjoy working with people who want to better manage their emotions, improve their communication and relationships, and those who want to grow their wisdom while dealing with life conflicts and difficult choices.
Understanding Yourself
How do you know what you need from a therapist? And how do you match your needs to a therapists' expertise?
When looking for a therapist, it is tempting to use the internet to try and diagnose yourself. Resist the urge to google your symptoms. Instead try some simple self-reflection.
If you are experiencing emotional distress, first try and identify the sources of distress. Which area of your life - work, relationships, academics, health, finances, your sense of identity, your future - does your distress come from? Now, identify the nature of your distress - are you worried, fearful, angry, frustrated, sad or confused? More often than not - the distress will come from several areas of your life, and you will be experiencing multiple emotions.
Finally, what goals would you like to work towards? And how would you like to learn ways that would help you calm and sooth yourself?
Keep these self-reflections in mind and bring them up in your first consultation with me on the phone.