Professional Counseling
Most of us have times in our life where it might help to have a listening ear or someone to  talk things over with. I believe that each person is resilient and has the inner strength to cope with whatever we encounter in life; we just may need a little help along the way. I am a Masters level licensed professional counselor and work with adults, couples, and teens.  My specialties include:

 

1. •    Eating and body image issues/weight loss
   

2. •    EMDR (more info below)
   

3. •    Fertility, pregnancy loss, PMS
   

4. •    Self-esteem/assertiveness
   

5. •    Depression/anxiety
   

6. •    Relationship concerns
   

7. •    Premarital counseling
   

8. •    Stress management/resiliency
   

9. •    GLBT related issues
   

10. •    Work concerns/conflict at work
    

11. •    Trauma/grief/loss
    

12. •    Life changes/transitions
    

13. •    Family concerns/parenting
    

14. •    Learn to use herbs, supplements, and nutrition to manage anxiety, insomnia,     depression, or other emotional concerns
    

1. I provide both long and short term counseling; the duration of therapy depends on the nature of your concerns, your goals, and the time you have to invest.  My therapeutic style integrates various models and is also solution-focused, down to earth, practical, and welcoming.  Together we can identify your goals and make a plan to reach them
   
   Nutrition Consultations
   

2. It can be confusing to know how to eat reasonably “healthy” and how to sort out what is the best nutrition plan for you as an individual.   I believe that since we each have different dietary needs, likes, and dislikes, an individualized plan can really be beneficial.  I am a nutritional consultant (nutritionist) and can customize a personalized optimum diet for you to eat as healthy and well-balanced as possible, while taking your favorite foods into consideration.  I can also help you reach your weight loss goals whether you’d like to lose 10 pounds or 100 and can help you make a plan to maintain it for a lifetime. 
   

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4. If needed, I will also provide a comprehensive analysis using the “Advanced NutriBody Questionnaire” to identify your body’s unique nutritional status, and to determine if you are lacking in any vitamins or minerals.  I believe weight loss is more than just counting calories; I use a holistic approach to help you meet your wellness goals.
   

    Benefits of a nutritional consultation:

1. •Personalized optimum diet/nutrition plan and recommendations for healthy choices in eating and lifestyle
   

2. •Help strategizing on how to manage any emotional ties to eating such as bingeing, body image concerns, emotional/stress eating, negative thoughts about yourself, etc.
   

3. •Option to use EMDR to deal with any of the above concerns (Click Here for info on EMDR)
   

4. •Learn to eat to increase fertility naturally or to manage anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns
   

5. •Extensive personal report showing results from the “Advanced NutriBody Questionnaire” showing over 50 nutritional factors and related imbalances with full recommendations and options
   

6. •Herb and supplement recommendations to lose weight safely, increase your fertility naturally, or manage insomnia, anxiety, depression, etc.
   

I know how hard it can be to try to lose weight; I’ve been there myself!  I look forward to meeting with you to hear your story and to help you meet your goals and feel better about yourself!

Grocery Store Tours are also available; learn to navigate the aisles in the grocery store to choose healthy foods that are easy to prepare!

EMDR

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a specific type of therapy that can much more rapidly bring about healing than regular talk therapy.  Initially EMDR was used primarily for trauma, but now is being successfully used for a wide variety of issues.

What can EMDR help with?

1. •Weight loss/body image
   

2. •Old mental “tapes” or repeat patterns in thoughts and/or behavior
   

3. •Fertility and/or pregnancy loss
   

4. •Grief and loss
   

5. •Self-esteem
   

6. •Work or sports performance enhancement
   

7. •Disturbing memories/trauma
   

How does it work?

EMDR uses elements from many therapeutic approaches in combination with eye movements, taps, or sounds which stimulate both sides of the brain and allow the brain’s natural healing to be “unstuck”.  When someone is very upset or traumatized, their brain doesn’t process information as it usually does and information gets “stuck”; which means remembering a trauma can feel as if it were happening again. 

EMDR activates the brain’s natural healing and information-processing system.  After EMDR, the person is still able to think about whatever was troubling them, but it is significantly less upsetting.  Often people feel “freed up” and a sense of empowerment, action, or acceptance.  Some hypothesize that EMDR works similarly to REM or rapid eye movement sleep, where the eyes move during dreams to help the brain process daily life events.

What is an EMDR session like?

Typically in the beginning of an EMDR session we will spend a few minutes mapping out what we want to accomplish during the session.  We’ll work together to choose a target memory or issue for you to think about during the EMDR and we’ll identify any related thoughts about yourself that this represents.

During EMDR we’ll do a series of sets of either tapping or eye movements while you think about the target that we picked.  Usually sets last about 30 seconds to a minute and then we stop and briefly talk about what came to your mind during the set.  Often during EMDR people say they think about different aspects of the target memory or the related thoughts, and may feel related emotions.

EMDR is an incredibly powerful mode of therapy and can be very helpful in a variety of situations.  I am a Level 2 EMDR practitioner; contact me to talk about if EMDR could help you.  Or Click Here for more information about EMDR.

Reiki Energy Work

Reiki (pronounced RAY-key) is an ancient healing tradition, initially from Japan, that is a hands-on therapy to relieve stress, physical pain, negativity, and anxiety. Reiki is simple, natural, and safe.  Reiki involves the laying on of hands at certain points on the body to allow energy to flow freely through the body. Reiki helps unlock the body's natural self-healing abilities. Reiki is based on the Japanese tradition that if our life force energy is low or isn't flowing correctly, imbalance can result.  Most people report that after a Reiki session they feel very relaxed, calm, and centered, and have a strong sense of well-being. 

What is Reiki?
The word Reiki comes from the Japanese word (Rei) which means "Universal Life" and (Ki) which means "Energy". Reiki is the life energy that flows through all living things. It is believed that a person's "ki" or energy should be strong and free flowing, so that a person's body and mind is in a positive state of health. When the energy becomes weak or blocked it can lead to symptoms of physical or emotional imbalance.  Reiki is a subtle and powerful form of energy healing using life force energy that is practiced in every country of the world.

How does Reiki work?
Reiki heals by flowing through the body and charging it with positive energy.  It clears, straightens and heals the energy pathways, thus allowing the life force to flow in a healthy and natural way.  Reiki is a balancing energy; what is in excess, Reiki lessens (like pain), and what is lacking (like a sense of calm, balanced energy), Reiki increases and fills. It also induces the relaxation response and puts one's physical, mental, and emotional energies in the best condition to naturally heal the body, mind, or spirit itself.  Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing.

What is Reiki used for?
Reiki has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and injury and is a wonderful complement to any wellness program.  Many people get Reiki treatments simply to relax and rejuvenate, and give energy back to themselves.  Reiki also works well in conjunction with medical or other therapeutic techniques to: improve medical treatment results, reduce negative side effects, shorten healing time, reduce or eliminate pain, reduce stress, and generally promote recovery.  A Reiki session eases tension and stress and can help support the body to facilitate any healing that is needed.  However Reiki is not a substitute for medical care and may not cure all disease or problems in one treatment, although sometimes one treatment is enough to unblock blockages and promote self-healing.

What is a typical Reiki treatment like?
Usually I begin a Reiki treatment by having a discussion about any questions that the client has about Reiki, and talking about any goals or areas of concern.  In a typical Reiki treatment, the Reiki receiver rests comfortably, fully clothed (Reiki is never sexual), on a massage table.  Reiki can be done with the person laying face up or face down or both.  As the treatment proceeds the practitioner applies a light touch with the hands on the recipient in various positions, to unblock the flow of life force energy. An alternative is to use a non-touching technique, where the hands are held a few inches away from the recipient's body. If you prefer not to be touched let me know and we can adjust accordingly.  The hands are usually kept still for a couple of minutes before moving to the next position. I usually use a combination of standard Reiki hand positions and also use my intuition to determine if Reiki is needed anywhere else.  Usually I begin at the head and work down to the feet.  During a Reiki session, most people feel warmth or tingling in the area being treated, even when a non-touching approach is being used.  Usually people also feel a state of deep relaxation, combined with a deep sense of well-being.  The session is usually very pleasant, relaxing and invigorating.

Reiki is a great tool for stress reduction and relaxation. I am a Level 2 Reiki practitioner; contact me to find out more about if Reiki could help you or to schedule a Reiki appointment.

Supervision Consultations for Professionals
I offer peer supervision and consultation services for therapists and other wellness professionals on a variety of topics including:

1. •Traditional talk therapy peer supervision
   

2. •EMDR session planning for weight loss, body image, trauma, resource installation, etc.
   

3. •How to suggest herbs/supplements to your clients for mental health or other reasons
   

4. •How to make suggestions regarding clients’ nutrition for general health or to manage mental health issues