Therapy for eldest daughters

Individual Therapy

My clients are often people who:

  • Use humor as a coping mechanism (and would look forward to humor being a part of the process of therapy :)

  • Have often been told that they are an “old soul” or “mature for their age”

  • Serve as caretakers in their families

  • Long to finally be taken care of, too

  • Feel a sense of responsibility for the emotional state of everyone around them

  • Spend a lot of their time over-analyzing, fantasizing, and/or daydreaming

  • Often second-guess themselves when making decisions, both big and small

  • Have questioned why they are drawn to the same kinds of people and relationships over and over again

  • Are longing for connection and more depth in their relationships

  • Are struggling to accept that some of the people they love most in the world aren’t interested in or willing to change

  • Are interested in exploring their family histories and interrupting cycles of generational trauma

  • Are feeling a bit of existential angst

  • Are grieving a future they imagined for themselves

  • Are wanting to increase self-esteem and strengthen their sense of self-trust

Couples THerapy

 The couples I work with are often:

  • Seeking guidance on how to improve communication about: emotions, sex, finances, career paths, in-law relationships, gender roles, the mental load, sharing domestic labor, family planning, parenting approaches, value differences, anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief.

  • Wanting to gain skills that can help them to more effectively and respectfully resolve conflict, and how to more successfully provide the kind of support that is needed to move through significant life transitions.

  • Committed to each other and to learning how to work as more of a team in order to meet both short-term and long-term goals for the life that they share.

I also love having an opportunity to work with couples who are:

  • Navigating the Wild West of all things wedding planning

  • Wanting some more structure or support around preparing for forever together

  • Hoping to do more of a deep-dive into (and beyond) the typical premarital counseling topics

marriage Prep

My work is grounded in the framework of Integrative Systemic Therapy, and I draw from different models in my approach to care, including: Narrative Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and The Gottman Method.

My favorite social media accounts to follow and scroll through between sessions:

1) Vienna Pharaon: @mindfulmft

2) Lisa Olivera: @_lisaolivera

3) Dr. Alexandra Solomon: @alexandrasolomon

4) Nedra Tawwab: @nedratawwab

5) Dr. Nicole LePera: @the.holistic.psychologist

6) Esther Perel: @estherperelofficial

7) Lauren Larkin: @leltherapy

8) Emma Mahony: @emmaintherapy

9) Jeff Guenther: @therapyjeff

10) Elizabeth Earnshaw: @lizlistens

FREE SUPPORT :)

The books I most often recommend to my clients:

1) Loving Each Other by Leo Buscaglia

2) Loving Bravely by Dr. Alexandra Solomon

3) Women, Food, & God by Geneen Roth

4) Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image by Hillary L. McBride

5) Drama Free by Nedra Glover Tawwab

6) The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

7) Untamed by Glennon Doyle

8) Already Enough by Lisa Olivera

9) Codependent No More by Melody Beattie

10) All About Love by Bell Hooks

11) The 7 Principles for Making a Marriage Work by John & Julie Gottman

12) Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by John & Julie Gottman

13) Fight Right by John & Julie Gottman

14) Mating in Captivity by Ester Perel

15) How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LaPera

16) Love Sense by Sue Johnson

17) Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson

18) Us by Terry Real

19) Fierce Intimacy by Terry Real

20) Staring at the Sun by Irvin Yalom

A playlist of all the podcast episodes I return to over and over again for all the reminders I need (over and over again) as both a human and a therapist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/118UrttUFyJV3H4Hfqdsna?si=LFqJaOy0RTmMcbiuSjOJbw&pi=gW1do1RUTgSWZ