Self-Compassion Therapy

People often come to therapy feeling anxious, frustrated or and stuck, and they want relief. Maybe you feel unhappy in your job or relationship. Perhaps you’re struggling with a transition and finding it difficult to live with the uncertainty of this time.

Whatever your challenge right now, you may be criticizing yourself for not knowing what to do. And you probably have found it difficult to navigate this situation on your own. This makes sense: It’s in relationship that you learned the habits you live by. Because many of these habits are lifelong and have helped you along the way, they can become invisible, and you can feel helpless to change them.

When it's difficult to be kind to yourself, your choices are often ruled by fear. Maybe it's fear of what others think, fear of making a mistake, fear of change, fear of not being perfect, or fear of being alone. If fear is in charge, it’s harder to make sound decisions. This limits growth in your personal and professional life.

I help clients develop self-trust as they work through:

self-criticism
anxiety
depression
relationship issues / codependency
stalled career / work stress
grief and loss
creative blocks
life transitions

In therapy, you can get honest with yourself about who you are and what matters to you, and learn to meet yourself with compassion. This will help you transform your relationship with fear, so it's not in charge anymore. When fear loses its power, it's easier to see and remember the strengths you already have.

Therapy provides a safe, collaborative, and nurturing space where you can find new responses to your struggles by developing a deeper capacity for self-compassion.

You will be supported in:

Becoming more aware of the ways you habitually think and react
Getting in touch with the fear and pain that hide beneath habits
Listening to old wounds and giving them what they need to heal
Making the honest choices that lead to a more meaningful and vibrant life

How is self-compassion therapy different?

Depth-oriented

You won’t just deal with symptoms. In therapy, you will see what needs attention, so that true transformation is possible. Sometimes this means tending to old wounds that did not fully heal.

Self-compassion is the focus

Your relationship with yourself impacts every other relationship you have. When your self relationship is strong, it is easier to be in right relationship with others. This includes setting boundaries and communicating with honesty and compassion.

Pragmatic

Self-compassion therapy is informed by zen, mindfulness and neuroscience. These ways of knowing emphasize practical, direct experience. You will learn to experiment and see what works for you. Your lived experience is the most important gauge of effectiveness. If therapy doesn’t impact your everyday life, it isn’t useful.

In self-compassion therapy, you will have a space to listen more honestly and closely to yourself. You will learn to take your feelings and needs seriously, recognizing that your sense of confidence and self-trust come from staying connected to what’s true for you.

You will discover that you can stay connected with others, even when you disagree with them. This is a gradual process that results in you making more authentic, meaningful choices in your relationships at home, at work, in your relationship with yourself.