My approach

As an Integrationist, my psychological vision and practice comes foundationally from three theoretical orientations: Internal Family Systems (IFS), Interpersonal/Relational Psychology, and Psychodynamic/Attachment Theory. By utilizing these approaches, I hope to offer a comprehensive and individualized plan of treatment for each unique person I encounter.

Internal Family Systems
IFS operates from the perspective that as people we naturally experience internal division that pulls us in various directions. You may sometimes say “part of me wants to get out of bed” while simultaneously knowing “another part of me wants to sleep in.” This common experience refers to what IFS calls “parts”, which occur in all people and can often be at odds with each other, leading to struggles and distress. By approaching the inner division within each person, IFS seeks to instill harmony and unification of all our inner parts with our inmost Selves, the core of our being, which results in clarity and peace for our lives.

Interpersonal/Relational Psychology
Interpersonal psychology derives from the notion that we are innately relational beings and that relationships are at the core of what drives us and fulfills us. The main focus of this model is attending to the relational dimension of the person and how this is aiding or straining the health of the person. A key component of how I apply this therapy in practice is the use of Interpersonal Process, which highlights the relational elements in the “here-and-now”, in the hopes that a person may be able to notice how they interact with others through the example of the therapeutic relationship.

Psychodynamic/Attachment Theory
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is a wide family of therapies that involve focus on the subconscious and inner world of the person. This involves understanding one’s motivations, growing in personal insight, connecting patterns between the past and present, and understanding one’s own psychological defenses and how they may aid and impair one’s goals and flourishing. Attachment Theory is a part of the psychodynamic family of approaches in psychology, and especially focuses on early relational paradigms of functioning, especially how these are shaped by one’s family growing up and how they operate in the present.