Individual Services
What is Eco-therapy?
What is Art Therapy?
What is Climate- Aware Therapy?
Calling All Moms!
Eco-therapy recognizes that people are deeply connected to the natural world and to their environment. Numerous studies indicate that spending time in nature positively impacts mental health: from forest bathing to gardening to wilderness therapy and park prescriptions. I currently offer a limited number of “walk and talk” sessions in a designated site in Berkeley, and sessions are catered to client preferences (e.g. sitting or walking).
Art therapy is simply art-making in a safe, non-judgmental space as a way of promoting healing and self-growth. Both the process and the product can inform your understanding of where you’ve been, where you are now and where you would like to go in the future. No experience necessary.
Climate Aware Therapy is an emerging field in which the therapist understands and validates your concern about human-caused environmental destruction, climate change, social justice, and other related (overlapping) crises. Therapy might focus on: the emotional processing of climate grief, anxiety, betrayal, guilt, dread, trauma, and other forms of distress; on exploring your relationship with the natural world; on developing resilience and a broader support system; on working past psychological barriers; on creating a plan for sustained environmental engagement; on exploring intergenerational dynamics and how to support young people. And so much more. I will often integrate art-making into my CAT work.
What I mean by this is that moms -- particularly in our low-support, high expectation parent culture in the U.S. -- desperately need and deserve emotional support!!! Therapy is one avenue for this, either individual or groups. I offer perinatal mental health therapy, and postpartum support, including for the "baby blues" and what are called Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs). Beyond that, I help moms respond to common struggles such as: identity development, self-compassion, work/life balance, maintaining healthy relationships, division of labor, developing healthy body image, and mama empowerment. I believe that motherhood is fundamentally life-altering -- and has tremendous potential for personal transformation. But moms need helping hands along the way, and can benefit from support, community, grounding , and re-orienting as the years go by.
What are some other things we might do together?
Create - My office is not only a therapy office, but also a mini-art studio and I am flexible in what we do. Visual art projects might take a few minutes or a few months to complete. They range from drawing to collage to book-making to message stones to mandalas to painting.
Talk - When you are ready, we will explore through words what is troubling you. I will honor all aspects of your identity. I will always respect where you are on a particular day.
Emote - We will make space for all of your emotions (without exception)! Acknowledging emotions can reduce suffering.
Play - Not just for kids! Sensory sachets are available, as is sand tray, figurines, playdough, board games, books, and fidget toys galore.
Role Play - We learn through our mistakes, and also through practice. Why not use therapy as a laboratory for future conversations, imagined scenarios or confrontations...or even to talk to distant parts of yourself that need healing.
Homework - Some of my clients appreciate ways to continue the work between sessions, such as reading, worksheets, logs, resources. For others, homework is the last thing that they need! I'm flexible.
Fees
My fee for individual therapy is $190 per 50-minute session.
I provide “superbills” for out-of-network insurance reimbursement.
I accept referrals through Claremont Employee Assistance Program.
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”