Therapeutic Approach
Below is information about the psychological theories I apply in my therapeutic work with clients.
Intergenerational Psychology
Intergenerational psychology originated in the 1960s following more recognition of the impacts of trauma in Holocaust survivors. This theory emphasizes how trauma and trauma responses are passed down the generations and we now have evidence that this is done so through our DNA. Our family, community, environment, current events, culture, and lifestyle factors all play a role in creating the lens through which we see and relate to the world and ourselves. Often times, I have worked with clients and learned that in order to make clinical progress, we first must give attention to circumstances and relationship dynamics that have played a role in shaping our ability to face our traumas. Our skillset and challenges are largely impacted by our ancestry and what they have faced and we can do great, powerful healing that helps many when we acknowledge how we are all connected.
Attachment Theory
Attachment theory became popular largely in the 1950s with John Bowlby and still rings true today. We have found that a person's attachment style, or way that they relate to and connect with others, largely impacts their relationships, experience of emotional safety, and beliefs about self. Over 80 percent of people are believed to have an insecure attachment style, meaning many of us have experienced challenges in connecting with others and feeling as though our needs have been met. For this reason, I feel it is important to explore one's attachment style to learn how they have been using patterns of behavior to cope and respond in relationships with self and others and find effective ways of meeting those unmet needs and regaining a sense of personal power and self-trust.
Energy Psychology
Energy psychology originates back to the 1980s with Roger Callahan and others learning of the significance of connecting Eastern and Western healing practices. Energy psychology focuses on the importance of integrating what we know about the mind and body and how they interact through energy and the biofield. Each of us has our own field of energy around our body that goes by many names (biofield, aura, subtle body, luminous energy field, etc.). Our body also functions through the use of energy and exchange of energy via electrical impulses, movement, etc. When we alter the energy in or around the body, we experience changes via our perception (i.e. physical sensations, thoughts, feelings, etc.). Eastern cultures have long known this and practiced various modalities for healing by manipulating energy and learning from it. Trauma and uncomfortable feelings/thoughts tend to lead us to want to disconnect from our bodies and our energy as a form of protection (dissociation), but this leads to many symptoms and challenges over time. I utilize a variety of methods to help my clients reconnect to their body and energy and re-establish safety, comfort, and ownership.
Logotherapy
Logotherapy was created by Viktor Frankl who studied the surviving descendants of the Holocaust and noticed the incredible power of their resilience in coping with trauma. He found that those that can find meaning or a purpose in their experiences are more successful in working through and coping with the effects of trauma. Others have also found the influence of the mind over the body through CBT, Somatic psychology, narrative psychology, and through psychological concepts such as the self-fulfilling prophecy--just to name a few. Through reframing and shifting out mindset and finding how our experiences have somehow led to creating the amazing people we are today, we can feel empowered rather than powerless against our trauma and redefine who we are.