Psychobiological Approach Couple Therapy in Placerville, CA

Developing and maintaining a vital and fulfilling long-term relationship is one of the most difficult challenges we face in our lifetimes. I see impasses and breakdowns such as extensive arguing, lack of desire or estrangement as "natural and necessary failures" that point towards deeper individual issues that need to be addressed and worked through. In couples' sessions I help each partner to find a differentiated stance, interrupt dysfunctional patterns and develop healthier ways of relating and dealing with conflicts. In addition to working with couples and individuals, men's issues have been a focus of my interest for three decades.

Therapy is an opportunity for healing and transformation. You begin to feel better in your body and improve the quality of your life. Maybe you struggle with a painful loss, are overwhelmed by excessive worry, depression, trauma, or social anxiety. Maybe you are feeling stuck. Maybe you want a better marriage and more confidence in your parenting. You may feel shame and find that your ways of coping with avoidance, procrastination, or negative self-talk adds to your distress. I am passionate about helping you find a greater sense of connection, health, and meaning in your life. I know how to get you there!

You've shown incredible courage in taking the first step towards therapy, and I'm here to guide you toward lasting healing. Together, we'll create a safe space where you can explore, understand, and conquer the challenges that weigh on you. Your need for emotional well-being matters and EMDR therapy offers a proven, tailored approach to address those lingering issues. Picture a journey where you not only manage symptoms but where you emerge resilient, empowered, and free from the shadows of the past. Your goal is not just relief; it's a profound shift towards a life filled with meaningful connections and personal fulfillment.

I work with adults, parents, couples and teens who are struggling with various aspects of life and want to make a change. I enjoy working with people going through transitions, which may be stressful but also offer huge opportunities for growth. I believe in a collaborative process and I will explore your needs with you and work with you to determine the best course of treatment. I will help you identify issues that are interfering with your happiness and support you in making the changes necessary to feel better and improve your quality of life. I prioritize emotion regulation and mindfulness and integrate this into our sessions.

I provide compassionate and collaborative psychotherapy with a focus on adults. I enjoy working with individuals and couples. I am trained in a range of treatment modalities and flexible in the approach I take with clients. Some treatment approaches I draw from are; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT). I work through a feminist and social justice lens and approach therapy with curiosity and a healthy dose of humor. My goal in providing psychotherapy is to facilitate you in living a meaningful life in alignment with your values.

I am a compassionate, interactive, collaborative therapist who works with adult individuals, couples and parents who are facing a major life transition, relationship challenges, depression, anxiety, or self-defeating patterns of behavior. I believe in the healing power of humor and I strive to develop a frame that is profoundly supportive but also challenging, where you will feel free to express your feelings and speak your mind, with meaningful change and growth as our shared goal. My approach is trauma-informed; it integrates attachment theory, dynamic emotion focused therapy, neurobiology, systems, and relational models.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I enjoy working with couples and individuals. I am honored that my clients have given me the privilege to come along side them on their journey towards self discovery, leaning into their story, wherever it may lead. Sessions are met with immense curiosity and gentleness. My goal is to be a safe place where you can land each week and explore the ways you think, feel and behave the way you do. With me by your side, the hope is for you to be able to develop a stronger sense of who you are and to be able to make positive changes in your relationships and your life.

Sometimes our emotional states can distract or derail us. These states can get overwhelming and cause us to lose confidence, act self destructively and withdraw from others. Engaging in a supportive relationship with an experienced psychotherapist is useful at these times. In my practice I work with clients who are navigating relationship challenges, life transitions and the difficulties of developing and achieving an important life goal. My approach is interactive and collaborative with the aim of creating a respectful and caring environment that will facilitate exploration and growth.

Do you feel anxious or worried? Are you experiencing guilt or depression? Do you feel stuck or down? Confused or hopeless? In recent years, traumatic events have affected the way people in the north valley tend to cope with life. Significant life events have a way of bringing back past worries and triggers and people can find that life turns upside down. If you are experiencing a shift or are dealing with a familiar pattern, you are not alone. North Valley Counseling is an established and experienced group of Therapists. We work with adults, couples, and children who are experiencing anxiety/depression, stress, & relationship issues

When people undergo traumatic events, it is common for them to feel as if everything is falling apart. Traumatic events can leave us with feelings of sadness, anxiousness, and other types of negative emotions that can be accurately traced back to a source of central incident or series of events for recovery process. Finding this source is important because it allows safe access to reduce unwanted impulses and promotes healing of emotional and physiological responses. As a therapist, I use a variety of techniques helping people to reconnect their mind-body balance, promote authentic completeness, and gain comfort of being yourself.

We all want the same things. To be understood, recognized, treated with kindness and respect. To feel like we belong. We share the same path to growth through self-effort in overcoming challenges in our life’s journey. Are you mastering the game of life? You are more powerful than your past or stories. Truth be told, “life is simply what you create it to mean.” Imagine yourself as the eagle that soars up into the sky with Wisdom as a compass. I can help you with self-esteem, family, career, trauma, grief, chronic illness, depression, anxiety, womens’ empowerment, life transitions, relationships, death/dying, and pet loss.

I specialize in working with couples wanting to recover from a crisis. I offer over 30 years experience as a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist, PhD, RN, Licensed marriage therapist. You can select either our 10 Hour Couples Program or the 5 hour private Intensive Couples Session. Prevent unnecessary divorce; change begins the first session. Increase emotional and physical intimacy and fall back in love with your partner.

My clients come into therapy seeking relief from years of suffering from anxiety, depression, anger, guilt, hopelessness, & emptiness. They carry these pains like thorns in their sides, reacting harshly to external events that brush against them. They change relationships, jobs, & cities, but these pains keeps following them. Despite their attempts to avoid feeling them by distracting themselves with relationships, affairs, alcohol/drugs/gambling, professional pursuits, and other external targets, the thorns & pains remain. They find relief by removing thorns from within, relieving long-term pain and suffering.

Do you know what you want? Do you want to be free? Happy? Relaxed in your body? Content? Passionate and sexy? Courageous in the face of fear? More connected to your partner or to the Divine? How do you get in the way of living the life you want? Do you constantly judge yourself? Noticing all the ways you "fail" to live up to way you "should" be. Or do you tend to direct that criticism outwards? Blaming others, feeling envy, or always waiting for external circumstances to line up just right so you can finally live how you want.

Having issues with anxiety, sleep, weight loss or addictions? I am a clinical hypnotherapist and can help with many issues. With the help of therapy, and hypnosis, many issues can be alleviated quickly.

In session, I will provide you with a safe and supportive environment focused on your healing. I incorporate different techniques and approaches, based on your needs as well as my assessment of what can be of true help to you. I believe it is important that I hold the space for you to incorporate your own healing practices if that is what you desire.

Life satisfaction is directly linked to how we cope with life's challenges. When we participate in escapist behavior (drinking too much, overindulging on sugar, avoiding confrontation, Netflix binges), we can feel stuck and hopeless. We get caught in these painful ways of coping because they work - at least temporarily. I specialize in helping clients get unstuck by incorporating brain-based education, support and practical suggestions for change.

As a teen I worked with foster youth who shared their stories of abandonment, loneliness, and trauma. As a kid myself I didn't fully know how to support besides listening and comfort. I never wanted to feel that helpless when helping a fellow human being again so I became a therapist. Watching people heal and having the privilege of being a part of their journey has been my greatest joy as a therapist.

Are you struggling to connect with a partner or child who is increasingly irritable and withdrawn? Has your family member turned to substances to cope with increased stress? As a wife and mother, I know how heart-wrenching it is to watch someone you love struggle and to be pushed away when you show caring. They may tell you nothing’s wrong, but your concern doesn’t just turn off like a switch. In fact, that may be part of the problem. Do you feel selfish when you think about how much you're struggling? This is a common feeling to have - but any therapist would tell you from experience - you can’t pour from an empty cup.