Therapists in Ann Arbor, MI

Welcome! If you've landed here, you're probably someone that can identify with feeling stuck in life, battling stress, anxiety or depression, or wanting to strengthen relationships. I'm a laid back therapist whose goal is to provide a comfortable environment that is empathic, non-judgmental, and culturally sensitive. As a certified Brainspotting (BSP) therapist with extensive training, I can help you identify, process, and release emotional and physical sources of trauma, both big and small. BSP is an excellent tool for performance enhancement as well.

I have experience working with people with trauma, depression, and anxiety. I have worked in various environments, such as athletics, schools, hospitals, and private practices. My job includes providing therapy to adults and adolescents, performing psychosocial evaluations, creating individual care plans, and managing follow-up appointments. I believe in prioritizing the client's needs and collaborating closely with them and their community to help them attain their objectives.

Life can be difficult; between the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life it is often hard to prioritize yourself and your needs. It is easy to feel overwhelmed or as if you are barely staying afloat. Amidst all of these daily pressures, you may be struggling with an increase of anxious feelings, depression or struggling with childhood issues that have not been addressed. Therapy can help with all of these issues and teach you how to prioritize yourself and reduce some of the negative symptoms you are experiencing. It can be scary to start therapy, I am here to help reduce that fear.

The therapy I offer is most effective for people who have already spent time working on themselves in therapy, spiritual practice, or by other means. My main treatment focus is developmental trauma, which means the harm caused in relationships growing up. As adults that can look like high functioning depression, anxiety, relationship problems, creative blocks, numbness/dissociation, lack of progress, and other expressions. We work with mindfulness based somatic therapy in an compassionate, supportive, and non-judgmental environment using a wide array of methods. Together we will uncover the healing your body is striving to access.

Navigating the journey of life can be challenging. If you find yourself feeling lost, confused, sad, worried, or dissatisfied with certain aspects of your life, I may be able to help you. As a therapist, my role is to guide you in discovering the tools necessary to improve your personal life and relationships. I offer a calm, non-judgmental space where we can explore both hardships and joys together.

I have two decades of experience treating individuals (adults, adolescents), couples and families. I have had extensive training in treating mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder), anxiety, peri-natal and post-partum depression, anxiety; grief, trauma, life adjustment and relationship difficulties. I am comfortable collaborating with your physician if you are on or need medication.

Everyone has a need to feel healthy and whole, with a sense of purpose, pleasure and renewal in your life. My approach uses your strengths to help you get in touch with your own inner resources so you can better manage stress, trauma and change in your life with creativity and courage. I have a mind, body, spiritual approach to healing that can help. Anxiety, depression, loss of motivation, a crisis in identity, feelings of low self worth, are all issues that can be transformed into feelings of self assurance and clarity about your life's direction.

Welcome! I enjoy helping adults and teens over 16 make positive changes in their lives around mental health, wellness, relationships, family, school and career. I have worked in DEI, wellness, integrative medicine and perinatal mental health settings, which helps to inform my work with parents, students and anyone who wants to integrate past experiences, become more resilient and step more fully into life's choices.

The foundation of effective and beneficial therapy is a good relationship. The relationship between therapist and client can provide an opportunity for working through difficult emotions and experiences, both past and present. I strive to develop a nonjudgmental partnership with each person I see in therapy, keeping in mind that every person and situation is unique. This allows us, together, to explore and understand the issues that bring you to therapy and how to begin to resolve them.

I take an individual and strengths-based approach to therapy, and specialize in working with adults who deal with trauma, insomnia, depression, substance use disorders, and anxiety. I hope to cultivate an accepting and empowering environment where you can feel supported and challenged to progress. I hope to give you practical help in getting to your goals, and provide feedback and exercises to work on outside of our time together, increasing the size of your tool kit to deal with life stressors and mental health challenges.

*ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS* Sometimes our lives are not what we want them to be, and we find ourselves searching for change. When you are ready to find relief, I’m here to help. Whether you are looking for relief from mental illness or someone just to help process life, I would love to talk to you. My focus is working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and/or have a history of trauma. I have a particular interest in working with college students as well as medical professionals and their partners.

I invite you to a safe and compassionate space to untangle and release difficulties that interfere with your quality or functioning in life. Taking a look at hurts can help normalize and clarify confusing or negative behavior, thoughts, and emotions to integrate past experiences. Embodiment, mindfulness, and somatic experiential practices lead you to gain physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. These practical techniques, along with education, and therapeutic processing will guide you along your path to integrated health and the resilience needed to manage the most stressful circumstances. You become your own best friend.

Life is full of transitions that can leave us feeling overwhelmed, stuck, and desiring greater personal well-being. I treat individuals and couples with acceptance and respect. I approach treatment from a mindfulness perspective, based on client's personal situations, strengths and chosen goals. My style is warm, solution-focused, and supports the courageous decisions of people to explore who they are and who they want to become.

I use a strength based, collaborative, and mindful approach during treatment. I practice from a trauma and attachment based lens bringing mindfulness and curiosity into each session. For over 15 years, I have been successfully working with children, youth and families. Together we will explore past and current stressors and how these experiences have impacted habits and coping styles with an understanding that each of us adapts the best that we can to obstacles in life. We will look at areas in your life where you are feeling stuck and explore what you need to move forward.

My goal is to bring to you, as my client, a safe place to explore what will give you the most support for growth you want. My office is also a place to learn and try out new coping skills. I am a mentor with shelves of tools, some of which will fit the life you want to go out and have; others which may not meet your style. An ideal relationship will give you client room to open yourself to thoughts and feelings and learn what you want and need and how to express that in healthy ways

Our approach to therapy is non-judgmental, person-centered, and collaborative. Wise Owl has experience with a variety of mental illnesses and disorders, especially ones that are trauma-based. Life is also full of humor and warmth; Wise Owl incorporates that into the practice as well. We aim to be a support system for clients who are going through the experience of daily life, as well as provide them with psychoeducation so they may further learn about themselves. You, the client, are the writer of your own story; it is our goal to support you through any personal work, trauma processing, diagnosis, or disabilities you experience.

I often work with people who have experienced stress and trauma in their life. They have often used disconnection from themselves and the world to cope with feeling unsafe or powerless. They feel they have had to mask who they are or what they are feeling in order to have relationships. My hope is to build a "safe enough" client/counselor relationship in which all parts of you can feel welcome. The therapeutic relationship often mirrors other relationships in your life, so I will be addressing our relationship dynamics and communication as part of the therapeutic process.

You may be browsing this website because you are at the beginning of your search for a therapist. Researching therapists is the first step. Then, making the first contact is next: this can be incredibly difficult. I see the therapeutic relationship as one of the most unique relationships: as a therapist, I am not your friend or family member, as I do not have any preconceived notions about what you “should” or “should not”do. I see myself as someone who works with you to set and accomplish goals, someone who supports you, assist you in solving problems and is part of your "team".

I provide compassionate services to energize individuals, couples, professionals, and those in helping fields who need a safe space to process the problems they are most likely facing today including: complex trauma, perfectionism, burnout, struggles with self-acceptance, relationship concerns, microaggressions, people-pleasing, depression, and anxiety. I believe that people have a remarkable ability to change their lives, especially in the face of adversity. You will not be alone in your journey to cope and heal.