Out of Network Therapists in Middlebury, VT

Sometimes life throws us one too many curveballs, and our usual manner of coping just isn’t enough. Counseling can be very helpful at such times, offering a dedicated place to speak aloud about thoughts and struggles, and to be heard and understood without being judged. I work hard to create a therapeutic environment in which people feel safe enough to explore and process their experiences, and supported enough to try new ways of thinking and being in their lives. I am a firm believer in every individual's capacity to heal and to grow, and it is an honor and a privilege to be a witness, ally and guide along the way.

For the past 25 years I have worked with a wide range of clients ranging from children and adolescents to older adults. I have a post graduate degree in family therapy from the Ackerman Institute in New York City, the most respected family therapy training program in the country. Currently I work with folks 17 - 80 and particularly enjoy marriage counseling. I've helped individuals struggling with depression, anger issues, anxiety and the effects of past trauma.

Therapy can be as much about finding more ease and joy in one's life as it is about reducing symptoms and suffering. Self-limiting cognitive, behavioral, emotional and sensorimotor (gestures/postures) tendencies often stand in the way of fully engaging in relationships (with self/others) and in the present moment. Bringing non-judgmental attention and awareness to these patterns allows us the freedom to replace re-activity with mindful responding. I work with adults seeking assistance with issues of anxiety, depression, stress management, trauma grief/loss and interpersonal/relational challenges.

I hope to assist in bringing compassion, respect, acceptance, insight, freedom and healing to individuals experiencing struggles with substance use and other mental health concerns. Substance use disorders are mental health disorders and are typically a coping mechanism used to afford relief from a variety of intrapsychic conflicts and decisions that effect our lives.

I offer a welcoming, compassionate, and non-judgmental space to share your story. Sometimes, problems we face — whether they come with a diagnosis or not — may be overwhelming, debilitating, paralyzing, unhealthy, or destructive to ourselves or our relationships. I work collaboratively to help people deconstruct and free themselves from the grip of problems that may be overwhelming and oppressive and move toward preferred ways of living and thriving.

I enjoy helping my clients work through the most difficult of life's challenges. I work with individuals from all walks of life, struggling with a variety of conditions and life situations. I take a collaborative approach to treatment, emphasizing personal control in therapy. My interest in psychotherapy stems from my fascination with language and communication. I have spent years researching language from the perspectives of philosophy, linguistics, and psychology. I find this research informs my style of treatment such that I have an ear that is attuned to the subtleties of communication, which many of my patients find extremely supportive.

For over 20 years I have been fortunate to counsel individuals, couples and families as they strive to improve the quality of their lives. Clients and colleagues describe my style as caring, insightful, humorous, open and direct. The people I help often come to counseling feeling "stuck," weighed down by heavy moods or anxiety, and isolated. They yearn to experience greater joy and ease in their daily life, to recover from past hurts, to feel a deeper sense of meaning in their lives, and to have less conflict with loved ones. Some are looking to be free of addictive behaviors.