Who I am as a Psychotherapist

Suicidal Ideation

I firmly believe that suicide has been stigmatized and completely misunderstood for too long. The movies and stories tell us that if we tell anyone that we are feeling suicidal, we’ll immediately be sent to a hospital. This is untrue in most cases.

The truth is, the more we keep that “suicidal voice” a secret due to stigma or fear, the louder that voice can become. And it can be painful.

Luckily, researchers and organizations (my favorite, To Write Love on Her Arms) in recent years have uncovered new information as to why a person may consider ending their own life. We’ve also come a long way as a collective in understanding how to support a family member or friend who may be experiencing these thoughts. However, due to the stigma, we have a ways to go.

I’m a person and therapist who does not shy from this topic. I’m ready to hear how long you’ve been having these thoughts (usually it can be as early as our pre-teen years). I’m ready to educate you on low-risk vs. high-risk suicidal ideation. I’ll be very honest from the beginning about how I support clients experiencing suicidal ideation and when it would be appropriate for their safety to seek a higher level of care (ie, intensive outpatient or inpatient treatment). I understand if you may have befriended these thoughts because it has become the only way to fathom living one more day. I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, yet. I’m here for you when you’re ready to lessen “the suicidal voice,” or bash it out of your mind all together. I’ll go at your pace.

If you’re interested in learning more about how I approach suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts, please request a free 20 minute consultation here. If you aren’t ready for therapy, but these paragraphs spoke to you, I encourage you to read this book.

Relationships

I’ve provided psychotherapy focusing on relationships since 2017. I’ve worked with two people in the therapy room trying to renew their patience and compassion for one another. I’ve worked with 5 people in the therapy room trying to have a conversation without yelling at one another.

I believe the source of conflict in relationships is unmet needs. Whether those unmet needs occurred when we were 5 years old or 22 years old, we are carrying around that pain and it keeps surfacing when we’re in distress with another human (or humans).

I believe that pointing fingers at one another to find fault is archaic and we’re more emotionally intelligent than that. I think the more we point fingers at others, the more we’re avoiding ourselves. I know that I’ve done this in my own life time and time again, and I know that every human is experiencing this, too.

I believe that understanding yourself, understanding your response to others, and then understanding the courage of taking accountability for your own relationship mistakes is an answer to relationship suffering.

I believe that relationship healing can directly lessen our vices: doomscrolling, alcohol stuffing, codependency, pill taking, food binging…you name it (we’ve all got a vice).

So, yes, while I work with individuals and groups in the therapy room, I will likely explore our “Self” in relation to “Others” consistently in therapy.

To learn more, setup a free 20 minute consultation with me here.

Yoga & Mindfulness

In May 2022, I completed my 200 Hour Yoga Instructor Certificate under Brian Delaney with Vibrant Life Yoga. I’ve been practicing as a student since 2008. With this knowledge, I weave yogic philosophy in my psychotherapy sessions if this is appropriate for my client. I can help you understand the supportive foundation that yoga provides beyond what we might see in a one hour yoga class.

If you’ve experienced healing from yoga or are wanting to learn more, I can certainly support you in this while we cover other needs you may have in your therapeutic journey. Contact me here for a free 20 minute consultation and we can chat further about this concept.

Addictions

I believe that unhealthy substance use can occur in many of us, but may not look like an “addiction.” If you are seeking a therapist who will meet you with a non-shaming and motivated approach to better understand your relationship with substances, I’m here for you. I believe that “sober curiosity” can be intriguing for many of us, but we just don’t know where to start. Setup a free 20 minute consultation with me here to chat more about how I can support you.

If you are a person who is seeking a Licensed Addictions Counselor for your recovery journey, I am happy to recommend trusted colleagues in the area.

Trauma

Maintaining a trauma-focused approach with all of my clients is immensely important as a psychotherapist. While some of my clients may have never experienced trauma, I can help them understand concepts like toxic stress vs. trauma, intergenerational trauma, and how trauma can stagnate in the body. Recent research has taught us that it doesn’t necessarily take a “traumatic” event, like what we might see in the movies, to impact us.

If you’re curious about this in your own life, I could be a good fit for you. Setup a free 20 minute consultation here. If you are looking for a therapist who is trained in EMDR, I can suggest wonderful colleagues in the Greenville, SC area.