Beginning
in Psychology

A really long time ago, I got curious about why other people are the way they are, think the way they think, and feel the way they do. Little did I know that first I would need to gain an understanding of why I am the way I am, and why I think and feel a certain way before I could even begin to understand someone else’s being. And…so…my journey into studying psychology began.

As you begin to scroll through this page…take a moment, soften your eyes and remember the last time you felt that cool breeze on your cheek.

🍃

As you begin to scroll through this page…take a moment, soften your eyes and remember the last time you felt that cool breeze on your cheek. 🍃

How I Work

In short, I can say that my approach to therapy is eclectic or integrative in nature. I use techniques that might best suit the client sitting in front of me and their unique situation. However, there are three main modalities that I draw from: Humanistic psychology, process-based therapy, and the somatic approach.

The ground of my therapeutic work is Humanistic in nature: As humans, we have an innate drive to achieve our full potential. This potential is different in each one of us. And in order to realize our highest potential, we need to know who we are and what is truly important to us. It is extremely useful to understand the self in relationships; both in relationship with oneself and with others, and how the dynamics shift and change within each of our relationships. The dynamics that present in our relationships are associated with the interaction of our values, needs, and beliefs with those of others.

This is precisely where therapy comes into picture – with a greater understanding of the self, we will be able to engage in relationships with more ease, trust, and clarity. In a sense, our relationships become supple. In the therapeutic process, on my end, apart from helping you find feasible pathways to attaining your goals, I also strive to offer full attention, empathy, authentic communication with the aim of creating a supportive and non-judgmental space in addition to taking into consideration the personal and the larger socio-cultural contexts, with the hopes that inquiry into self can occur more naturally. Process-based therapy – understanding oneself – comes with digestion/processing of a whole host of experiences. Processing for processing’s sake will not help in bringing about multidimensional integration or change.

However, if we can find information or insight in the processing that is crucial for change (i.e. address some of the barriers that you might be experiencing), then to an extent, the processing has been successful! Generally speaking, the barriers are habitual patterns of sensations, thoughts, beliefs, values and emotions that most likely have served you in the past but no longer offer the same kind of support now as you grow and integrate more and more. Process-based therapy is an ongoing and dynamic approach of tailoring therapy based on your present needs while always aiming to help you reach your full potential in an efficient way. In a sense, as one unravels the constructs of who they are, their essence becomes apparent.

In my approach to therapy, I tend to be body-inclusive. We tend to live mostly in our heads, and in my view, this is not an effective approach to life. How we view the world is influenced by our thoughts so much so that our thoughts modify our experiences of events and influence emotions and behaviours. In other words, this is called conditioning (if this is the case, are we really experiencing our world?). Studies show that 95% of what we think is repetitive. That means that we are essentially thinking the same thoughts from one day to the next. Eighty percent of these thoughts are found to be unhelpful and negative. Much of this happens at a subtle level - so subtle, that we end up living in a world shaped by our thoughts alone without even having a direct experience with the world itself. One of the ways to break this cycle is to include the body. The body is a storehouse of information that can be used in the healing process. In other words, consistently building and bringing in awareness of body into a therapy session is an important feature that will support in achieving more psychological integration and flexibility.

The past, which includes memories of our experiences both pleasant and unpleasant and the manner in which we have assimilated those experiences come alive in the present; in the here and now. So, this moment is full of potential for growth. To become more skilful in life, all we have to attend to is just this moment. Incremental steps pave way for sustainable growth.

Specialties

Depression

Anxiety

Relational Issues

Life Transitions

Managing Stress

Grief and Loss

Wellness

Trauma

Payment, Insurance,
and Cancellation Policy

  • Fifty-minute individual psychotherapy session fee: $180

  • I do offer sliding scale to those who are experiencing financial hardship. To learn more, please contact me info@just-this-moment.org

  • Accepted forms of payment: Cash, check, PayPal, or Venmo

  • I do not accept insurance

*You will be charged for cancellations made within 24 hrs. of appointment.

“The bud stands for all things, even for those things that don’t flower, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing, though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness.”

—Galway Kinnell