To me, almost everything is about context and relationships. Much of my work is informed by: the core ethics of social work; radical social constructionism; a reverence for scientific findings, including the nuances elucidated by the advent of neuroimaging; a sober analysis of the ways in which psychotherapy has been a harmful and oppressive space for political, sexual, gender, and faith minorities; my own frustrations in academic, clinical, and organizational settings; wisdom gleaned from my clients' and community members' experiences; and empathy stemming from my own experiences as a person with a complicated and shifting identity.
I work collaboratively to address shame and traumas resulting from abuse, neglect, erasure, and power imbalances, including invisible/marginalized identities, moral injury and more existential matters. I select modalities I find to be the least conducive to enactments of oppression, and utilize interventions that ease self-criticism and promote empowerment. These include brain-based therapies such as Brainspotting and EMDR, and Narrative Therapy.
I am a proponent of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, and kindness.