At the University of Southern Maine, I was trained in the art of intentional interviewing. For about ten years I have been a mental health counselor, and working in various treatment settings has exposed me to a broad range of the ways in which mental health care is approached. These experiences have always brought me back to my core beliefs—the value of compassion, genuine listening, and treating people with kindness, openness and respect.
My view of treatment is grounded in a wellness model of care, which simply means I believe that people are inherently well. Holding the conviction that we develop across the lifespan—emotionally, mentally, spiritually and so on—where some may see illness or pathology, I may see a pivotal moment, an opportunity disguised as a crisis, a stuck-point seeking balance and resolution. Consequently, my view is very holistic—maintaining that the body-mind-spirit is a complex, interwoven field of energy.
As a person-centered counselor, I will never presume to know what is best for you and will never tell you what you should or should not do. I believe the purpose of psychotherapy, as in life, is to pursue happiness, cultivate compassion, and nurture the seeds of kindness and acceptance towards others and towards ourselves. It is my hope that the counseling process will be a fruitful one, one in which you might emerge happier, more centered, and more at ease.
