Therapy newbie? Therapy veteran? It’s cool….therapy can be a very different experience depending on where you are in your life, the therapist and the relationship you establish (or don’t) with that therapist. I believe that therapy can be fun…actually fun. Of course we do the tough work and I challenge you to step out of the stuck place that you’ve been…but it is done with love and with caring and with humor. I want all of my clients to feel supported, cared for but not coddled. I wholeheartedly believe that life changing work doesn’t have to be a drag. Sure sometimes it can get heavy and for many there are tears (which I always welcome….the tears you cry in my office mean less pain you carry around with you so bring it on)! But I am not a fan of the serious, detached, blank slate therapy model. I saw a therapist years ago and I remember asking him how he enjoyed a book I saw on his bookshelf that I had also read he said something like “what makes you ask that”? “What are you really asking”? It was so freaking annoying. It felt forced and inauthentic and almost shaming-like I shouldn’t have asked. I remember wondering why he couldn’t just answer my question without attaching all the silly psychobabble and nonsense that insinuated that there must be more lurking behind my question that had to be investigated. That model works for some people but not for me. In terms of my style, I show up as who I am, my authentic self and I don’t pretend to be anyone or anything that I’m not. I bring my whole self to our sessions, I give input and feedback and you will (rarely) experience me nodding and asking “And how does that make you feel”? As a therapist I am an active participant in the process and consider this “our work” to accomplish together. I will listen intently to you, but you won’t leave our sessions wishing I had given you feedback or spoken more-our work will be collaborative. I have had many clients over the years say something like, “I wish we could just hang out and be friends…we’d have so much fun”! I take this as the highest compliment and it tells me that we have established a fabulous rapport and that my client feels comfortable with me-that’s what I strive for-that’s how the incredible work gets done-when a client feels heard, understood and that I have her back…that we will figure this out together. Oh and I sometimes curse and I often take my shoes off and sit cross legged. And I have sparkle pillows, squishmallows and a lava lamp in my office. So yeah.