I specialize in treating trauma/PTSD, anxiety, and depression by utilizing an eclectic array of approaches including psychodynamic (memory-focused), CBT, integrative mindbody practice, mindfulness, and analysis of unconscious symbolism within dreams in the tradition of Carl Gustav Jung. I offer a unique combination of healing practices which combines modern and traditional evidence-based methods.  

     It is essential when treating trauma to incorporate exercises which rewire the nervous system in order to boost a patient's ability to process feelings on a somatic level without dissociating. Advanced breathing techniques and sensation-based exercises will help you process memories safely while restoring trust in yourself and others. These exercises will, in turn, help patients to reduce panic attacks, ameliorate feelings of derealization/depersonalization, and help you regain a connection to your inner child. 

     Carl Jung believed that dreams are "compensatory" -- they do more than simply evoke our wishes as thought by Freud. For Jung, dreams balance out and heal attitudes, moods, and thoughts that we may experience during the day, and furthermore, they can provide clairvoyance and clues about how to persevere through life's many conflicts. Dreams, he felt, tell a story with a beginning, conflict, and resolution. By listening to our unconscious, we become aware of our true self. Jung also believed that world religions, myths, and fairy tales contained collective wisdom which can help people learn valuable lessons about how to proceed, and there are many myths which cast light on how to heal from overwhelmingly challenging experiences.   

     In the Greek Myth about Persephone, upon eating the pomegranate seed, Persephone is held hostage in Hades for a time during which the earth freezes over and the crops do not bear fruit. Such is true of one's inner experience after enduring a traumatic event. Meanwhile her mother, Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, is in tears. This famine remains until Zeus sends Hermes (Mercurius), the messenger God (or "trickster" archetype within the Jungian tradition) to release her from her tribulation. In the end, Persephone must spend the winter season underground, but spring, summer, and fall are full of joy again as she is released, and nature once again regenerates. An understanding of dreams and Greek Mythology can help patients understand the healing power and creative potential possible when connecting with archetypal symbols within their dreams. Once patient and therapist have harvested a healthy, trusting rapport, the patient can put past hardships into words, and one clue occurs when the Hermes trickster archetype manifests itself a patient's dreams.For instance, a mythic being similar to Tinkerbell from Peter Pan or Tom Bombadil from Lord of the Rings can remind us when we are on the right track.