Relational Therapy

While my degree is in Couple and Family Therapy, I consider myself to be a relational therapist, meaning that I understand that many individuals are in consensually non-monogamous relationships. I work with couples, triads, and relationship configurations of any size. With individuals, I still practice from a systemic, relational lens, understanding that no-one exists in a vacuum.

Every dynamic I have with my clients is it's own unique relationship. So, it's important to make space for ways that a client and therapist can impact one another, and how our relationship can show up in the healing process. Relational therapy can illuminate aspects of a client's life and experiences that might be played out or show up in the therapeutic context. This technique also makes space for conflict, ruptures, vulnerable ways that client/therapist might affect one another, etc.

As a Marriage, Couple and Family Therapist, I believe relationships are central to our experience of the world. We take into consideration the effects on each person's life of differences in power or equality as well as the impact of social issues such as class, race, gender, and culture. Relational therapy is collaborative and supportive.

Central to the relational therapy approach is the idea that we are shaped by our social world and relationships, and that having good relationships is essential for our wellbeing. The main goal of relational therapy is to examine how one's relationships with others have affected their emotional and mental health. Through this investigation, people can learn new techniques for creating healthier and more fulfilling relationships and a deeper awareness of their relationship patterns.

Relational Therapy (RT) is an approach rooted in Psychodynamic Therapy. Psychodynamic therapy puts emphases on the psychological cause of emotional pain. Self-reflection and self-examination are its major focus. RT asserts the relationship is in fact what is needed for true reflection, examination, and ultimately change. Major tenants of RT are the therapist's stance, authenticity, presence, reflection, and engagement.

I use relational psychodynamic therapy because I see the relationship we build together as the crucible of change: it acts as both a window into your interpersonal world, and also an arena in which you can try on new ways of being. We learn how to see ourselves and the world around in relationship, and this can become known and changed in relationship. In a non-judgmental, compassionate space, we contact and rework the dynamics that keep you feeling stuck, dissatisfied, and in pain.

I believe harm and healing occur within relationships. The relationship we cultivate of trust and honesty in the therapy space can be a learning lab, where we practice new skills that can then be translated into other relationships in your life. I believe the "click" and fit between therapist and client is one of the most important predictors of success in therapy, so I will be very open and honest in helping you find the best person with whom to seek care!

Working relationally means I will connect with you as myself. I am a real person in the room with you, with humor and personality. I am not a blank slate, I will not sit silently and stare at you while you talk. I will still maintain professional boundaries and the focus will always be on you, I will listen empathically and share in your human experience.

In a new electronic age connecting can be difficult. Connecting with someone long distance can be even more difficult. I work with couples that are trying to navigate more Lon distance relationships feel prioritized, create healthy habits and rituals with one another, and increase overall intimacy and blending of your lives together.

I see the therapeutic relationship as the foundation for the work of therapy. I strive to engage compassionately and authentically, and to enter into a collaborative space with the client that is based on building trust, openness, and curiosity. I invite clients to provide me with feedback about their experiences in our time together, as these reactions can often help us strengthen our relationship as well as build insight into patterns a client may be experiencing in the rest of their life.

Therapy is a very particular kind of relationship, but a relationship none the less. Sometimes dynamics and patterns you experience outside of therapy will find their way into therapy too. This creates a perfect opportunity to work through whatever feelings may be coming up in the moment and to explore them in real time to create deeper understanding and change.

The number one predictor of satisfaction with the therapeutic experience is the strength of the bond between the client and the therapist. Creating a foundation of trust and comfort for the client is of the utmost importance to me, as it allows us to explore problematic relationships with family, friends, and partners. Through this collaborative journey, you will learn to handle conflict in a variety of social settings and develop relationship skills such as patience, self-confidence, and trust.

A relational approach to therapy means that I will operate as an active participant in your therapy. The foundation of this work is the relationship between you and I and the dynamics that manifest during our sessions as they illuminate and relate to your other relationships. I often use the immediacy of the therapeutic relationship with the goal of increasing awareness and discovering previously hidden processes and beliefs that undermine well-being.

We do not live in isolation, and our relationships to others and to our communities and culture influence us in many ways. Relational therapy aims to understand how the relationships in our lives and cultural/systemic forces shape who we are, and how we are doing in turn influences our relationships. The therapeutic relationship offers a direct experiential opportunity for us to explore and work on relationship dynamics.

As humans, we have evolved to withstand life’s inherent traumas through interdependency. Not codependency. Interdependency. We thrive, as humans, when we can rely on and support others. And we learn how to support ourselves and others through the kind of support we’ve received. In therapy, we create a relationship (a unique one at that!) to help you bring those feelings up to be safely experienced and now responded to in the way(s) you needed before. With compassion, empathy, sincere belief, and support. This is how we release the past and free ourselves from having to “manage” all the freaking time.

In my relational approach to therapy, the relationship between client and therapist is central to the healing process. I focus on building a safe, trusting connection where clients feel truly seen and understood. Through this relationship, we explore patterns in how you relate to others, while engaging in process-oriented therapy to uncover deeper emotions, thoughts, and behaviors as they arise in the moment. By working together in this collaborative space, meaningful self-awareness and change