Attachment-based Therapists in Strafford, PA

Are you struggling in your relationships? Maybe disruptive behavior is making it difficult to connect with your child or teenager. Maybe you are struggling in your relationship with your partner or even in the relationship you have with yourself. Hi! I’m Samantha and I work together with my clients, who include children, adolescents, adults, and families, to find realistic and creative solutions to the struggles they are facing. I enjoy drawing on the strengths of my clients and being a part of their journey of making the changes they want in their lives.

I enjoy working with clients who want to get to the root of their struggles. These clients would like to gain insight into their symptoms, something difficult that has happened to them or to explore cycles and patterns that aren’t serving them. The clients I see often have attended therapy in the past. The clients I see also often present with attachment-based traumas, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and difficulties in their personal and work relationships.

I offer an opportunity to address multiple issues with an emphasis on the effects of trauma, anxiety, depression, grief and loss. Trauma and emotional pain can lead to a sense of being stuck. This can feel like being stuck in responses to situations and events and people that maintain our pain and present obstacles to our growth and flourishing. A warm and trusting therapeutic relationship can create an opportunity to get unstuck. This can manifest as increased confidence and a feeling that you are more present in your life. It can foster self awareness and improvement in your relationship with yourself and others.

I work against the position that views human challenges through a narrow lens bound by diagnosis and pathology. In family therapy, I work with adolescents and their caregivers who are impacted by protracted conflict and disconnection. I work with couples who are caught in patterns of conflict, avoidance, and misunderstanding. Individual therapy places emphasis on the security and safety of the therapeutic relationship in order to create opportunities for change.

You found me! If you're tired of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, riddled with anxiety or struggling with unwanted feelings and want to make a lifestyle change, then you have already taken the first step. I recognize how difficult it can be to seek out therapy and my passion for helping others has encouraged me to develop a supportive environment for clients to engage in treatment. As a therapist, I will actively listen to your experiences and help you process your emotions. I find it important to create a comfortable, nonjudgmental, and safe space for exploration into deeper meaning and understanding.

I am a couple and family therapist who offers empathetic and compassionate treatment for adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I utilize systems theories to assist clients in exploring how our relationships and environment impact our larger goals and sense of self. I focus on developing a relationship with clients and building a trusting and supportive environment. I believe in the power of resiliency and connection. Regardless of your goals or where you are in life, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. My goal as a therapist is to support my clients and to work collaboratively during treatment.

I am dedicated to helping you gain insight and develop tools to cultivate personal growth and relief from symptoms. You don’t have to face your struggles alone. I work holistically, meaning I consider the mind, body, and spirit. We will work together in a safe, compassionate, curious, and healing environment to understand yourself better and begin to feel connected, whole, and healthy. You can feel free to share your life and whatever you are facing. This type of work creates deep and lasting change.

I specialize in Trauma treatment for adults, children, adolescents, couples and families. Trauma affects all areas of one's life in pervasive and sometimes unexpected ways. I enjoy helping people identify how past events continue to play a part in current patterns, and to work on new and healthy ways of responding to stressors. Other specializations include treating victims of childhood sexual abuse, Dissociative Identity Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. I enjoy working with LGBTQIA+ individuals, children, adolescents, and couples, and working with families to better understand and support their LGBTQIA+ loved ones.

Do you often wonder if you are living out the full life you were intended to have? Do you feel helpless or hopeless at times? Need help recognizing and managing symptoms of anxiety? Tara believes in providing that safe place to explore and learn how to share the emotional, at times painful areas that need healing. Tara understands that it is important to find balance and to do so, treatment of the entire person emotionally, behaviorally, physically and spiritually is addressed to achieve wholeness.

Feeling stagnant or stuck? Do you feel lost, overwhelmed, unfulfilled, or isolated? Do you find yourself repeating the same behaviors, even though you know they are not helping you get to where you want to be? You want things to be different with your entire being, but for whatever reason just cant seem to get there. You've turned to addictive behaviors or developed an unhealthy relationship with food to cope. Self sabotage and self criticism turns into a vicious cycle. You have tried therapy before, but didn't feel like you got what you needed because you were listened to but not challenged or pushed out of your comfort zone.

No matter whether your problem is anxiety, depression, work, money or relationship stress, I can work with you to resolve these issues. I'm also trained and experienced to work with children and adolescents as well as adults who struggle with self-esteem issues, ADHD/ADD and relationship issues. I can help with short-term issues, like work stress or problems with a child, and longer term troubles, like addictions, money issues or problematic relationships with parents, sibllings or partners. Empathic listening (putting myself in your shoes) and responding accurately to your concerns builds a working connection that creates the context for change.

Do you find yourself having the same fights over and over again? Do you feel alone in your relationship? Are you experiencing a major life transition, crisis or loss, or simply feel that there is something missing in your life? I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist (MFT) with over 15 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families. MFTs are relationship specialists trained to assess and treat individuals, couples and families to achieve more satisfying relationships in their personal and work life as well as their general social functioning.

I believe in cultivating an honest and secure relationship between myself and each client. We will pay attention to relevant interpersonal dynamics that present themselves throughout our therapeutic work. Our prior experiences and significant events greatly impact the way that we relate to others and connect to the world. This can make it difficult to be transparent and vulnerable in therapy. We will first work collaboratively to establish trust and set expectations for our therapeutic work.

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist who likes to provide a positive and non-judgmental space for clients to express themselves and recognize their own power for change. Through my time in the mental health field, I have learned the importance of meeting a client where they’re at in their treatment process and supporting them in their personal goals. I enjoy providing a relaxed therapeutic environment through therapeutic activities and sometimes even light humor.

Therapy can be difficult to begin and I recognize the courage it takes to make this commitment to yourself. In this process, I am committed to a practice of non-judgment and empathy as we explore stressors and difficulties you are experiencing. We will work collaboratively to bring self-acceptance, creativity, and compassion into your everyday struggles. I work with adults experiencing a range of life challenges in the areas of anxiety, depression, stress, grief and loss, trauma, issues with alcohol and other substances, relationships, sexuality, gender identity, non-monogamy, polyamory, kink and others.

I aspire to make the world, or at least our little microcosm, a more kind and loving place. I believe therapy can help us become better versions of ourselves, deepen connection with each other, and bring more kindness to our relationships. Our innate capacity to heal and grow, both within and in relation with others, is strengthened by the guidance of genuine human connection.

Does life feel like a struggle? Maybe you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and not like yourself. Everything is annoying. Your fuse is running a bit short. You don't even want to interact with other people because it's too much: too much energy, too much trying, too much struggle. You don't feel like anyone can understand you. Past memories continue to impact you and you don't know what else to do. Life feels like such a struggle. You want to be involved in life and happy. You want to laugh, smile, and enjoy life.

What's happening for you? Is something blocking or distressing you - interfering in your life? Is it a habit, a feeling, a nagging question, or a disaster? Is it a disconnect with someone? As a Licensed Professional Counselor with an emphasis on experiential-process, I believe unfolding our experiences in therapy is very helpful. Perhaps some situation, vexing thoughts, troubling feeling, or particular actions hold keys to unlocking a best way forward in your life.

I believe I’m the best fit for clients who are struggling with diagnoses such as anxiety and PTSD, and clients looking to focus on topics such as perfectionism, self-esteem, self-care, burnout, boundary setting, family/ relationship conflict, navigating life transitions and major life events. You’ll find that I have a kind, energetic, authentic, and friendly attitude, paired with the ability to support and motivate my clients towards change. Whether you’re in a place where you’re motivated for change or just need a compassionate listening ear, you are welcome as you are!