Currently I am offering individual therapy virtually for Illinois residents. I believe wholeheartedly in the effectiveness of telehealth appointments. All telehealth appointments are HIPAA compliant through secure audio or video connection. Clients will interact with me through the convenience and comfort of their own home. A secure HIPAA compliant link will be provided before our first session together. I utilize three primary modalities for Individual Therapy: Art Therapy, Somatic Experiencing® and EMDR. Learn more bellow.
I also offer Expressive Sessions for individuals and organizations utilizing Somatic Experiencing® and tools from my expertise as an Art Therapist. Please navigate to the Expressive Sessions page to learn more should you decide this options is a better fit for your needs.
Therapy Modalities
Art Therapy
Art Therapy is an expressive and integrative modality of providing mental health counseling and psychotherapy services. It is provided by a trained mental health clinician who has obtained a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and a licensed credential specific to the region of one’s practice. The therapeutic process is embodied within the process of engaging in artmaking and relationship building, which contributes to recovery from mental health stressors. Art therapy can be applied with individuals, families and communities, and with people of various ages, socio-economic situations, and cultural backgrounds. Art Therapy professionals work in many settings, such as mental health clinics, crisis centers, community centers, hospitals, schools, shelters and refugee camps.
For example, art therapy can be applied in trauma treatment. Art therapy can offer a means to process trauma nonverbally, which can be helpful because the verbal part of the brain often switches off when people experience a traumatic event or are triggered to re-experience it. Through art making, participants can externalize inner experiences and create tangible, visual evidence of the changes they want to make in their lives.
The materials and interventions employed in art therapy include traditional visual arts such as painting and drawing, as well as fiber arts, sculpture, photography, installation, movement, sound, and much more. Participants do not need prior training in art-making to benefit from art therapy services. All that is required is an openness to exploring new pathways for accessing change.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that enables individuals to heal from emotional distress symptoms which are a result of adverse life experiences. EMDR is a structured approach and typically requires a weekly commitment in therapy. As a certified EMDR clinician, I will guide you one step at a time using a detailed protocol which involves briefly focusing on traumatic memory while staying regulated with the use of guided bilateral stimulation often through eye movements.
EMDR centers a lens that the mind organically is able to heal itself and move towards mental health, however when certain occurrences take place and are not processed, they begin to compile with other factors and create a mental block or negative self-belief. Once the block is cleared through EMDR reprocessing protocols, participants can experience benefits such as the ability to develop more adaptive thinking and behaviors, greater emotional capacity, as well as ability to live more in the present rather than from the past. Ongoing research findings show that EMDR is an effective treatment modality for PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, unresolved grief and loss, OCD, addiction and other distressing experiences.
For more information on this modality, visit: www.emdr.com
Somatic Experiencing®
Somatic Experiencing® is a modality that works towards resolving symptoms of accumulated stress in our bodies due to unresolved trauma. It is based on multidisciplinary studies of stress physiology, biology, psychology, ethology, neuroscience and echoes the wisdom of indigenous somatic-healing practices. The SE approach aims to support participants shift patterns of stuckness within the physiological protective responses of fight/flight/freeze long after the stressful or traumatic event has passed. SE allows for us to grow more resilient and in-tune with our bodies natural rhythms with a greater sense of capacity to be present for life's ever-changing essence. As an SE trained therapist, I will guide you using effective clinical tools that have been applied and proven to be effective over the past 4 decades.
Learn more about Somatic Experiencing by visiting: www.traumahealing.org
Can we just talk sometimes?
Yes of course! Although I am primarily specialized in art therapy and somatic-centered approaches, I do however utilize an integrative approach. Meaning, we don't always have to utilize these specialized modalities, we can talk about things too, and then collaboratively decide together next steps that fit your needs best.
My integrative approach is individualized, holistic and combines various ideas and techniques from different therapeutic schools of thought, depending on your unique needs.