Meet the Staff

 

About My Practice

 

SERVICES

I meet with individuals, couples, families, and run groups.

 

As a Transpersonal Psychotherapist, and fundamentally client-centered, I believe in an inherent tendency and ability for people to grow and learn about themselves and the world around them. I also believe each one of us has an inner wisdom to tap into. A client is encouraged to boldly explore their own thoughts and emotions in a safe, warm and collaborative therapeutic environment and find new solutions, skills, insight and awareness around life's challenges, both within the person and the persons' life experience.

 

I meet you where you are at, conforming my therapeutic approach to your presenting needs, and encouraging you to be as active in your own therapeutic process as possible. I may be active in my intervention as deemed useful by both the client and presenting concerns, including giving suggestions, interpretations, challenging, facilitating self-empowering therapeutic hypnosis, creative expression/arts, journaling, meditation training to include mindfulness training, dream exploration, CBT/DBT, and occasionally suggesting homework.

 

I also recognize the value in meeting basic human needs for psychological health, providing access to resources as needed.

 

I generally work with folks who complain of depression, anxiety, grief and loss, stress management, anger management, trauma/PTSD, interpersonal conflict, parenting challenges, spiritual challenges, frustration tolerance, and some health challenges to include nicotine addiction.

 

I also provide in-home nursing care, family crisis intervention services, and tutoring.

 

COUNSELING PHILOSOPHIES

 

My philosophy and approach is multifaceted. I am influenced by ancient Roman Stoic, Neo-Rogerian, solution-focused, cognitive/CBT, dialectic/DBT, family systems, gestalt, transpersonal, and psychodynamic therapeutic principles and interventions.

 

I utilize diagnostic and treatment tools to facilitate continuity of care and attentive medical diligence. However, rather than viewing the client as unwell and requiring assistance back to health, as in the medical model of psychotherapy, I take a more humanistic and transpersonal approach, generally seeking to depathologise the human condition and consider the influence of many layers of consciousness experience.

 

I see my job as an endeavor to create a relational environment conducive to experiential learning. This works to build a client's confidence in their own natural process resulting in a deeper understanding of themselves.

 

My overall approach ultimately emphasizes the inherent value in subjective experience, personal growth, relationship, spiritual development, and experiencing the immediate moment.

 

Psychodynamic

The information needed for psychological health is discovered, in part, within the personal and collective unconscious. This may be explored with either uncovering or supportive approaches. An uncovering approach (hypnosis, dreamwork) emphasizes facilitating the client's insight into the roots of their challenges. A supportive approach by contrast stresses strengthening the client's defenses (hypnosis) and often providing encouragement and advice (journaling). Depending on a client's need, either a more supportive or more uncovering approach may be used. Here, integration and resolution of inner conflict is sought, often utilizing  dreams and hypnosis, and exploring ego defense mechanisms.

 

Cognitive Behavioral

 CBT explores how our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions influence each other and our experience of mental health. When we engage in CBT, we will explore habits and thoughts patterns to help determine a course of treatment.

 

Systems

Family and Group dynamics. Families are viewed as a whole system, and individual family members as parts of that system. A systems approach views people in relationship, addressing group interactions, patterns, and dynamics.

 

Solution Focused

When appropriate, we focus on what is going well in life rather than focusing on what is going wrong. This is a positive reinforcement therapeutic theoretical orientation.

 

Gestalt

We look at the whole experience, to include your family, friends, environment, past experiences and memory. All these interact to influence how we live our present lives, for it is the present moment, the experience of the here and now that can often be therapeutically healing.

 

Ancient Roman Stoic Psychotherapy

Contrary to popular misperception, being Stoic does not mean ignoring ones emotions, but rather striving to be mindful of one's experience of emotions. The emphasis, much like in mindfulness meditation and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, is on practicing a wise mind, practicing discernment, accepting what one cannot control, and learning how to calm the mind through the practice of real presence.

 

Client-Centered (Neo-Rogerian)

Fundamentally an existential humanistic philosophy presented by Carl Rogers, client-centered psychotherapy, contrary to traditional psychodynamic models, asserts that the client has an inherent ability to grow and be empowered, and holds the information needed for psychological health within themselves. 'Neo-Rogerian' simply means that my collaborative partnering with you may involve some active intervention work, as deemed beneficial by you. We seek therapeutic alliance, positive regard, and empathy to discover real self, trust in self, congruency, and achieve an internal source of evaluation.

 

Transpersonal

The spiritual experience we have in life is also considered equally as valid and relevant to our mental health needs, incorporating the whole gestalt of a person's existence: the physical, mental, and spiritual- body, mind, and spirit. Transpersonal psychotherapy considers the experience of consciousness, and will utilize different therapies to address the needs of the unconscious, the ego, and the spiritual. This reflects my training and overall philosophy as a transpersonal psychologist.  

 

Ecological

Nature is comprised of diversity, and is interconnected, a whole system. Being products of nature, it seems logical that our inner world is thus comprised. Body, mind, spirit, environment, and social  patterns are all collaborated on with the client to explore therapeutic outcomes. A whole system is well equipped to be self sufficient, thus my positive client-centered approach. Both the client and the family in crisis has the tools and, once facilitated, ability to heal, grow, and enjoy self-empowerment.

 

IN-OFFICE OR HOUSECALLS

Appointments can be scheduled for either in-office or in-home therapy. In-home appointments outside of Kitsap County are subject to an additional .50/mile and 10.00/Hr travel time outside of county limits.

 

CONFIDENTIALITY

The therapeutic session is sacred space for safe and creative work to be done. What occurs in session stays in session, completely confidential. I am required by law, however, to break confidentiality under the following circumstances; harm to self, harm to others, child abuse, and elder abuse. I run an ethical practice, which means that my work is reviewed under licensed supervision and consultation to ensure the most beneficial and ethical treatment for my clients. Confidentiality of client identity is maintained in treatment consultations.

 

CANCELLATION OF APPOINTMENTS

Please understand that when you make an appointment, I am reserving that time for you. If you miss an appointment, that is time that could be spent with another client, please notify me 24 hours prior to your appointment if you need to reschedule Or if you are ill or in an emergency. If an appointment is missed without 24hr notification, ACH reserves the right to bill for one hour of session time.

 

Counselors practicing counseling for a fee must be registered or certified with the Department of Health for the protection of public health and safety. Registration of an individual with the Department does not include recognition of any practice standards nor necessarily implies the effectiveness of any treatment.@ WAC 246-810-030 and 246-810-031. The Counselor Credentialing Act is to provide protection for public health and safety and to empower the citizens of the state of Washington by providing a complaint process against those counselors who commit acts of unprofessional conduct. Therapists have a responsibility towards their clients to maintain professional conduct and boundaries. If you feel you have been treated in an unprofessional manner you have the right to report this information to the authorities, Contact the department of health to obtain more information regarding these laws at www.DOH.wa.gov or DOH consumer Hotline (800) 525-0127

 

Contact:

Phone:   (360) 920-7047

Email:   aspenhypno@yahoo.com

 

By Appointment:

Kalberg Professional Building

729 Prospect Street #203

Port Orchard, WA  98366

 

Snail Mail:

PO Box: 2831

Poulsbo WA, 98370

 

 

 

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