Specialties

Specialty Areas

•   Abuse: all forms including but not limited to Coercion, Domestic, Financial, Manipulation, Narcissistic, Physical, Psychological, Sexual, Verbal

•   Anxiety Disorders: Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Panic, Peri-/Post-natal, PTSD, Social Anxiety

•   Athletes: performance anxiety, burn out, relational difficulties with parents/coaches/teammates/competitors

•   Boundaries: setting and enforcing

•   CEN (Childhood Emotional Neglect)

•   Family Conflict

•   Family-of-Origin Issues

•   Life Adjustment Issues

•   Mood Disorders: Bipolar Disorder, Depression

•   Parenting

•   Parenting Children with special needs (health needs, behavioral)

•   Peer Relations

•   Perfectionism

•   Personality Disorders

•   Relationships (healthy vs. unhealthy)

•   Self-worth Issues

•   Stress

•   Teen Relationships (healthy vs. unhealthy)

•   Trauma

•   Women’s Issues

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Topics of Specialization

 

Abuse (Power & Control)

I specialize in all topics of abuse and in all relationships where abuse occurs.  Abuse is so much more than physically mistreating another person.  In fact, abuse can occur in many forms including physical, verbal, psychological, financial, sexual and more.  An abusive person’s objective is to gain and maintain power and control over another person. An abuser uses manipulation, fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear down the other person in order to keep that person under their control.  Abuse can occur in every kind of relationship - between intimate partners, a parent abusing a child, an adult child abusing a parent, a co-worker abusing a co-worker, between siblings - the possibilities are endless.  I work to help the client identify the dynamics of abuse that are at play in the relationship and aid them in developing the tools and skills needed to exercise their own power in the relationship, like setting and enforcing boundaries.  In some cases, when appropriate and in line with the client’s goals for the relationship, this may evolve into counseling sessions that include the other person, for example family and/or couples counseling.

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Parents of Children with Special Needs

I am a parent of a child with a very serious, life threatening health condition.  I have personal experience with parenting and raising a child who was born with a potentially deadly congenital defect.  Along with my personal experience, I have professional expertise which equips me to help other parents of children with special health concerns as they learn to adjust to the unique needs of their circumstances.  Special needs children have unique needs which often requires parents to have unique parenting skills.  I work with parents to assist them with empowering their child in how to navigate life to the best of their child’s ability, in hopes of helping them reach their maximum potential, just as we would want for any and all of our children.  I also counsel with parents in being ever mindful of the importance of taking care of their own needs so it is possible to more readily meet the special needs of their child. 

 

Athletes

I have personal experience growing up as a highly trained, elite athlete competing in world-level competition.  I understand the pressure placed on youth in sports, both from others as well as from the self.  I possess experience in working with athletes to identify their needs and to effectively communicate these needs with parents and coaches so as to foster healthier relationships for all involved.  Additionally, I assist the child athlete with how to manage performance anxiety, as well as develop and implement psychological skills that will maximize their performance.  Just as importantly, I guide parents of young athletes in learning and understanding the needs of their child athlete to promote a happier and more mentally healthy child.