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Stress. Worry. Anger. Sadness. Fear.
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"...you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." -Mary Oliver
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These are heavy, layered and often painful human experiences that many people bring in to psychotherapy. They can also be stubborn and isolating. In therapy, you have the opportunity listen to suffering safely, discover what you're needing, and to grow.
No matter where we live, how intelligent or resourceful we are, or how careful we've been, we all encounter difficult, painful and transformational times in our inner and outer lives. Sometimes these periods feel short or very long, and sometimes it's as if they've always been a part of us. Sometimes something happens that scatters life to pieces. And sometimes we seem unable to trace our experiences back to a source. However, through this process you can learn to explore, discover and apply these transformational elements and make challenging experiences gratifying and fruitful parts of life.
No matter where we live, how intelligent or resourceful we are, or how careful we've been, we all encounter difficult, painful and transformational times in our inner and outer lives. Sometimes these periods feel short or very long, and sometimes it's as if they've always been a part of us. Sometimes something happens that scatters life to pieces. And sometimes we seem unable to trace our experiences back to a source. However, through this process you can learn to explore, discover and apply these transformational elements and make challenging experiences gratifying and fruitful parts of life.
I hope to help.
Born and raised in Atlanta, I studied psychology and philosophy at the University of Georgia before earning a Master of Science degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University. While studying there I presided over a student organization for counselor development and working with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people in therapy; researched aggression in a behavioral science lab; collaborated with doctoral students on dissertation projects; trained with Safe Zone and served on the Safe Zone Interdepartmental committee; worked in a graduate research assistantship for an organization serving under-resourced grandparents raising their grandchildren.
After four years of practice in community-based settings working with adults living with HIV/AIDS and chronic illness, marginalized children and families, and individuals and groups recovering from substance and sex addiction, I joined a small private practice. Three and half years later I started my own practice and moved to the offices of the Cathedral Counseling Center at the Lanier House in affiliation with the Cathedral of St. Philip. After eight years there, my dear friend Tara Lozano, LPC, SEP and I started the Atlanta Somatic Healing Psychotherapy Center emphasizing somatic processes in psychotherapy and introducing supervision, training and development for new counselors, as well as therapists at any stage of their professional journey.
I value my continuous development of a pluralistic, interdisciplinary approach to working holistically in psychotherapy with individuals, groups and families. I incorporate a breadth of natural and human sciences (anthropology, mythology, philosophy, biology, physiology, ecology, physics) and approach psychotherapy as an existentialist and humanist. Mindfulness, somatic and experiential methods, interpersonal neurobiology, and ecopsychology, are some of the wells from which I draw. You may refer to Atlanta Somatic Healing for more description of somatic work integrated into psychotherapy. Essentially we reintroduce the body by offering settling, sensing and taking time with bodily awareness, honing the exchange of information between the mind and the body and strengthening that connection, and promoting ease and restoring flow between our states and in and out of presence. We invite friendliness and curiosity, welcoming all parts of you, deepening understanding with them in yourself, and offer strategies and tools for supporting growth and change.
Interpersonal neurobiology is a field of neuroscience pioneered by Dr. Dan Siegel and developed over the last 15 years, which "applies the emerging principles of interpersonal neurobiology to promote compassion, kindness, resilience, and well-being in our personal lives, our relationships, and our communities." Here's a video of Dan explaining a little about that piece. And straight from the International Community for Ecopsychology:
After four years of practice in community-based settings working with adults living with HIV/AIDS and chronic illness, marginalized children and families, and individuals and groups recovering from substance and sex addiction, I joined a small private practice. Three and half years later I started my own practice and moved to the offices of the Cathedral Counseling Center at the Lanier House in affiliation with the Cathedral of St. Philip. After eight years there, my dear friend Tara Lozano, LPC, SEP and I started the Atlanta Somatic Healing Psychotherapy Center emphasizing somatic processes in psychotherapy and introducing supervision, training and development for new counselors, as well as therapists at any stage of their professional journey.
I value my continuous development of a pluralistic, interdisciplinary approach to working holistically in psychotherapy with individuals, groups and families. I incorporate a breadth of natural and human sciences (anthropology, mythology, philosophy, biology, physiology, ecology, physics) and approach psychotherapy as an existentialist and humanist. Mindfulness, somatic and experiential methods, interpersonal neurobiology, and ecopsychology, are some of the wells from which I draw. You may refer to Atlanta Somatic Healing for more description of somatic work integrated into psychotherapy. Essentially we reintroduce the body by offering settling, sensing and taking time with bodily awareness, honing the exchange of information between the mind and the body and strengthening that connection, and promoting ease and restoring flow between our states and in and out of presence. We invite friendliness and curiosity, welcoming all parts of you, deepening understanding with them in yourself, and offer strategies and tools for supporting growth and change.
Interpersonal neurobiology is a field of neuroscience pioneered by Dr. Dan Siegel and developed over the last 15 years, which "applies the emerging principles of interpersonal neurobiology to promote compassion, kindness, resilience, and well-being in our personal lives, our relationships, and our communities." Here's a video of Dan explaining a little about that piece. And straight from the International Community for Ecopsychology:
Ecopsychology is situated at the intersection of a number of fields of inquiry, including psychology, ecology, spirituality, and environmental philosophy, but is not limited by any disciplinary boundaries. Put most simply, Ecopsychology explores the synergistic relation between personal health and well-being and the health and well-being of our home, the Earth.
Existentialists subscribe to a philosophy of curiosity and examination of existence. In psychotherapy we look into unconscious anxieties that operate under the surface of every moment for each of us; death and dying, meaninglessness, freedom, and isolation. We examine how people cope with and compensate for these fundamental anxieties, and we offer opportunities to discover more rewarding and authentic ways of meeting the challenges life presents. We believe that human suffering in general is a universal and natural part of our human condition (meaning nothing is wrong with you for feeling it), and to relieve our suffering--to master our lives--we must first accept it as it is.
Humanism is a psychological and philosophical movement given rise to by existential inquiry. Humanists aim to promote growth and development through making mindful contact with the powerful potential within us and our relationships. We understand and respect human beings as the capable, talented, intelligent, spiritual and resilient survivors that we are. Actualizing your potential--living with intention and consciousness--paves the way to finding a richer, more satisfying and rewarding life. And this is a practice.
Humanism is a psychological and philosophical movement given rise to by existential inquiry. Humanists aim to promote growth and development through making mindful contact with the powerful potential within us and our relationships. We understand and respect human beings as the capable, talented, intelligent, spiritual and resilient survivors that we are. Actualizing your potential--living with intention and consciousness--paves the way to finding a richer, more satisfying and rewarding life. And this is a practice.
Areas of experience and specialty
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