Individual Psychotherapy 

I work with adults ages 24 and up.  I accept Cigna and some Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. 

We can discuss your insurance and what you hope to gain from therapy at a free consultation on-line or on phone. 

My primary counseling approach is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS) developed by Richard Schwartz. 

To learn more about my education, training and experience with IFS and other modalities click the "My Bio" tab. 

Where and When 

Internal Family Systems, or IFS,  is an approach used by Counselors, Psychotherapists, Coaches, teachers and group facilitators (who may integrate IFS with other modalities). IFS is also used by individuals: there are IFS apps, IFS meditations and many examples of IFS sessions for free on the Web. During sessions clients pick-up on the practices and principles of IFS, so some/not all clilents engage in parts-work outside of sessions for self-care and personal growth. 

A basic premise of IFS is that: there are no parts of our personality that are bad and need to be stamped out.  For many this comes as a relief. After all, most people at some point were labeled as bad or treated as if there is something wrong them. Or directly or indirectly told that the humiliation, harm or pain they received was deserved or for their own good. We absorb these painful messages and lived experiences and then our internal system organizes around them. 

It may be useful to think of your internal system as comprised of a big inter-generational family. And that, like many families, an internal family has a bunch of different parts, each with their own personality, roles, beliefs, intentions and feelings.

These internal parts, just like families, get locked into relational conflicts, power dynamics, roles and rules. Kind of like a Thanksgiving dinner going on inside. Some Parts take on burdens, some keep us functioning, while other Parts take on protective roles with strategies to push down pain or channel the pain into behaviors that temporarily relieve pain. These Parts get stuck in time and stuck on repeat. IFS is a collaborative form of therapy that supports parts get unstuck and come into the present where their gifts and wisdom can contribute to you living a more satisfying and exuberant life.