Helping people improve their lives and relationships in Encinitas

For over 15 years, I’ve been helping people improve their lives and relationships. One thing I have learned is that for all of us, inevitably, in life, things will fall apart, and we will sometimes feel broken or stuck. This is when people make the courageous choice to try counseling. Sometimes it feels like life is just happening to them. Anxiety and self-doubt have been around for a long time, they don’t even realize when their thoughts are self-critical, that they are focusing on the things they’ve done wrong and questioning themselves constantly. They spend so much time responding to people’s demands that they don’t have a lot of time to self-reflect, but at times think “this is not what I really want for myself and my future.” Some are in relationships that feel eternally difficult. They cannot remember when the problems started, and they are not sure how to change the dynamics. In counseling, they start the daring and difficult process of healing.

What to Expect in Counseling

When people reach out for counseling, it can be intimidating. Even if they’ve been to therapy before, each counselor works differently. I usually start therapy with a 20 minute phone conversation to make sure that the counseling I provide is the approach that you’re looking for. At the first counseling appointment, we talk about what brought you here, your goals for therapy, and how I can help.

We work as a team. You are the expert on your life and I’m the expert on how people create change. My approach to therapy is based on research, what actually works for people. We focus on your goals, and as we talk about problems, we also look for solutions. We talk about how you can continue our work outside of therapy, because continuing to think about things during the week creates change more quickly. I am offering video and in-person appointments.