Miriam’s Approach to Therapy

Humans are beautiful, complicated, and full of inner wisdom.

I am not an expert on your life but I have some expertise to offer.

Our bodies and emotions hold insight and information to help guide us.

Many folks who have worked well with me never thought they would go to therapy. Because I am an integrative therapist, I individualize my approach to each person I see in therapy and work hard to help clients feel seen and heard as unique individuals impacted by cultural, familial, and societal contexts. My doctoral training and years of experience have helped me expertly weave together multiple theories and modalities of therapy, including Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and EMDR. Throughout session, I use somatic awareness and a collaborative stance to help connect in the therapeutic relationship and empower clients through utilizing their own strengths.

At the basis of all of my work is the development of a secure attachment by listening closely to feelings, attending closely to bodily reactions, inviting in memories, and gently unpacking thoughts. I closely observe what is being said verbally and non-verbally in the room to deepen connection and insight, and I invite clients to learn to listen to their own body’s cues for emotion, safety, and connection.

My approach may include experiential exercises, gentle questions, reflective observations, shared emotions, outside resources, or respectful silence. I will also encourage and support you in using connections outside of individual therapy to help foster healing and feel empowered within community.

I practice collaboratively and holistically, meaning we talk through goals for our work together so we have a shared understanding of what we are working toward and what aspects of your life will be most important to focus on together. I strongly believe that you have all you need to heal already inside of you, just waiting to be amplified, noticed, and cultivated. We will lean on your strengths and the safety of the therapeutic relationship to help you experiment with new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

As we inherit legacies of survival, interpersonal dynamics, emotional patterns, and even trauma, we must attend to what you’ve inherited from family patterns, genetics, systemic injustice and ancestral pain in order to help you make meaningful, values-based change.  Individual and familial experiences are located within societal norms and often toxic systems that must be called out in therapy, particularly attending to the impact of racial trauma, toxic masculinity, and diet culture.

I will work with you to build a safe relationship in therapy so that you can experiment with new ways of abiding by difficult emotions, articulating boundaries, exploring vulnerability, and understanding your internal thought patterns. Over time, your life choices and relationships can become healthier and more intentional.

If you want to know more about me and my professional background, here you go.

If you’re interested in a free consultation with me about therapy, let’s get started.

Photo by Wei Wang