Couples Counseling Therapists in Burlington, VT

I believe that a genuine therapeutic relationship can serve as a foundation for immense personal growth and change. I offer a therapeutic practice that is based on sincerity, compassion, and 10+ years of diverse clinical experience. I enjoy working with a broad spectrum of mental health challenges, and incorporate various theoretical models into my practice.

My clinical work has consisted of treating a variety of clients with different backgrounds and concerns. I am particularly interested and experienced in treating interpersonal relationship problems, self-esteem concerns, family of origin issues, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, codependency and LGBTQ issues. I enjoy facilitating individual and couples therapy with adults. As a compassionate, yet assertive clinician, I work with clients to meet self-identified goals. I view myself more as a guide and mentor than expert. My clients have described me as "down to earth" and "personable."

Central to my work as a therapist is helping people make necessary, life affirming changes, both personally and in their relationships. Living comes with depressions, anxieties, unexpected betrayals, work crises, illnesses, self-defeating behaviors and personal shames. At some time or another, we've all felt how hard "getting by" can be, how alone and overwhelming. Of equal importance, however, is the healthy courage it takes to ask for help. Toward that end therapy offers people an opportunity to feel deeply known, a chance to move forward with greater self-awareness, confidence, and self-acceptance.

The goal of my practice is to help reduce suffering and to increase capacity for joy, flexibility, and life fulfillment. I individualize my approach to your needs using a mix of different psychological approaches, including cognitive-behavioral, narrative and psychodynamic. I am a Vermont licensed doctoral-level psychologist who trained in health psychology at the Minneapolis VA Hospital, and engaged in postdoctoral study in behavioral medicine at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. I worked for many years at the Hazelden Center, a nationally-recognized leader in addiction treatment, and gained additional experience working with adolescents as a high school counselor and wellness teacher

I see a state of imbalance in the world that affects all beings and brings out our collective and individual defenses. These intersect with trauma, relationship issues, fear, anxiety, grief, and depression to create patterns of disharmony within our lives and our dynamics with others. Whatever brings you to therapy, I believe that therapy can help ease the burden. I see therapy as a process of co-creatively and compassionately tending to threads of discord that have become intransigent, freeing new pathways of thinking, feeling, and being. With time and attention, therapy can help cultivate and strengthen an inner balance.

I work with adults (18+), providing support and guidance for those navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, depression, life transitions, and personal growth. I aim to create a space of comfort and safety where one can find the courage to look compassionately within.

Living a human life is fraught with painful experiences, just by its nature, and not because people are doing anything wrong. Whether that manifests as sadness, loneliness, guilt, shame, boredom, numbness, stagnation, anxiety, or fear, when these feelings show up, they can leave us feeling trapped and powerless in the face of the challenges of life. My goal is to provide a non-judgmental environment in which people can feel free to build awareness of their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, habits, and relationship dynamics. This awareness provides the basis for personal transformation.

It may be challenging to seek help with life's stressors. As a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, possessing numerous years of multi-discipline counseling experience, my desire is to facilitate client's healing through the development of a collaborative therapeutic relationship . In a warm and supportive environment you'll feel comfortable to share your story and move forward by reaching your personal goals and individual potential.

I work with folks on the cusp of transformation—people wanting to switch careers, leave a relationship , shed inauthentic identities, or in the midst of any transition that requires clear vision and decisive energy. My work centers around clarifying values and desires, tossing out unhelpful ideas about ourselves, and taking responsibility for the identities and experiences we want. This process can involve grieving what we’ve lost or never had, and invites us into the messy practice of relating to ourselves and others more gently and honestly. I meet with those who identify as women or non-binary, ages 25-45.

My approach to counseling is focused on the collaborative relationship between client and counselor, where acceptance and understanding of who you are as an individual begins. Your concerns along with your interest in being better fulfilled as a person are of the utmost importance to me. I believe wellness and personal development are processes that are ongoing and changeable over time. No matter your familial background, past experiences, or current struggles – You Are Not Stuck and have an opportunity to grow throughout your lifetime and make meaningful strides as a person, in relationships, and belonging in community.