Therapists in Swarthmore, PA

Therapy can be an exciting and rewarding journey, although challenging at times. I am available to help as you explore therapy and changes in your life. I am a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist with 30 years of experience. I have received extensive training in sandtray and play therapy. Additionally, I trained in advanced contextual family therapy for over 25 years. I provide individual, family, couples, and play therapy. As a registered play therapist, I am trained to work with children as young as age 4. However, I work with all age groups.

I successfully treat individuals and couples in distress, often when life circumstances change. I help them understand and then alter the factors that interfere with their functioning. Sessions with me frequently focus on problematic relationships because so many problems stem from issues in current and past relationships. Furthermore, regardless of what causes problems, we are often empowered to address them when we have support from others. I strive to be warm, non-judgmental, and, when needed, verbally interactive, to foster the emotional safety and confidentiality that are essential for honest, productive self-examinations.

Though I am not currently accepting new clients, other therapists at my center are have openings. Trauma, addiction, and loss can disrupt one's life - and often require professional help. Together, we can process the fueling factors of addiction, emotional pain, or relationship issues. While many therapists claim to be 'trauma-informed', my practice, the Phoenix Center for Experiential Trauma Therapy, revolves entirely around trauma work. I've been recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress - the highest status in the academy.

I believe you will experience me as genuine, curious, and direct. Together, we will challenge old assumptions and create new ways of approaching problems, relationships, and life in general. The work we do in therapy is serious and it is hard. It's also tremendously rewarding, and in our work, we will likely find ourselves laughing a lot. Here, you will experience acceptance and connection that I believe will make the relationships in your life easier to navigate and more rewarding.

Many people experience times when they feel stuck in some important aspect of their lives, and want to find a way forward that is true to who they are and to the values that matter to them. Being stuck is often connected to unprocessed early experiences, compounded by living in the turmoil of complex and difficult times, and navigating what appear to be paradigm shifts in how we understand what is happening in and to our world. Therapy can provide a way to work towards clarity, and towards building, maintaining and balancing a healthy sense of self, healthy relationships with others, and a life that makes sense and works for us.

There are so many reasons to seek out therapy. Maybe you have been in therapy for years, maybe this is your first time. Whatever the reason or your experience, I am glad that you are here. Therapy can be a brave space that we build to reflect on what is happening for you, to process the road that led you here and to set in place obtainable, sustainable response strategies. To do so, we will incorporate a blend of somatic and psychodynamic therapies to unpack current, historical and intergenerational traumas.

Have you been told you are “too sensitive”? Do you feel overwhelmed by anxiety? Do you experience intrusive thoughts and wonder, “Why did I just think that?” Perhaps you are on the path of healing from sexual trauma and wish to feel more empowered. Maybe you’re going through a challenging transition and need a safe place to process your thoughts and emotions.

Thank you for considering me as your therapist! I am very interactive, utilize humor, my own experience, and a lot of mindfulness in my approach. I am trained in yoga and other meditation techniques, and often integrate that background into the therapeutic process. I believe that you are the expert of yourself, and my role is to accompany you in recognizing and owning that. I will help you not only understand why you are suffering, but also learn tools from many different traditions for dealing with life's challenges. I specialize in helping motivated people navigate the challenging changes in life.

Are yearning to deepen relationships, trying to thrive as a working parent, or seeking a way out of self-defeating patterns of behavior? Do you feel misunderstood by a partner and unable to break the cycle of arguments that feel all too familiar? You don’t need to stay stuck. I work with individuals, couples, and families across the adult lifespan, from college students to confident professionals, from new parents to empty-nesters. Together, we will explore how you want to live, love, and work.

“Mental health problems don’t define who you are. They are something you experience. You walk in the rain and you feel the rain, but, importantly, you are not the rain.” — Matt Haig. You deserve to feel heard and seen. You are worthy of having a compassionate and accepting environment where you can feel empowered to change, grow, and evolve. Therapy is a partnership, and my role in your wellness journey is to help you develop into the best version of yourself, by overcoming stressors, shifting perspectives, and fostering resilience.

In this post-COVID era, mental health concerns are at a very high level throughout society. Certain populations, particularly, the elderly, as well as, younger adults, adolescents and couples, are at a higher risk, and vulnerable to these issues. Connectivity, accessibility, and information overload has contributed to a variety of mental health problems, including stress, anxiety, and depression, within the populations, aforementioned . As a mental health provider, my focus has always been to commiting to those I work with, taking great pride in making every effort to, caringly, meet their mental health challenges.

I specialize in working with teens, adults, couples, and families navigating challenging transitions, seeking balance, managing relationship conflicts, and enhancing social skills in demanding environments like school and work. With over 13 years of experience in child, adolescent, and family therapy, I also offer clinical and licensure supervision. My warm and collaborative style fosters an environment of unconditional positive regard and safety, encouraging open expression of thoughts and feelings.

If you’re struggling after a loss or a major life transition, it makes sense that nothing makes sense. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, and like you don’t know where to turn, you are not alone. What if you had a supportive and calming space where you could feel seen and understood, make sense of your experience, and find a way forward that feels right for you? Whether you're struggling with grief, anxiety, relationship issues, stress, or overwhelm, I can provide you with a safe, non-judgmental space where you can feel nurtured and supported.

I work with all ages and make it a point to meet my clients where they are at presently and work on making goals to help improve their overall quality of life. I have worked as a therapist for over fourteen years with children and adolescents specifically with a focus on finding ways to combat symptoms of ADHD , depression and anxiety. I have also worked with the adult population for several years and have been successful in guiding them in taking significant steps towards overcoming depression, anxiety and mending issues in their relationships and helping them make changes in their family or work environments.

Being human can be confusing, overwhelming and painful. Despite this predicament, I believe therapy can help shed the feeling of a constricted life and achieve an authentic and empowered sense of self. Through a collaborative and compassion-centered approach, I aim to help hold in a non-judgmental space the challenging parts of life and encourage next steps in your journey. The technique I use most often is trauma-sensitive mindfulness combined with concepts and methods from CBT, DBT and MI while applying lenses such as attachment, familial, cultural, generational and that of global systems.

More adults, adolescents and children are experiencing depression and anxiety than ever before. Family, work, academics, social stress and isolation can affect us emotionally and physically. There has been a significant increase in drug and alcohol use, behavioral problems, medical complications, broken relationships, lost jobs and academic failure. Social media and the internet provide tremendous opportunities but also problems. In person and cyber bullying cause depression and sometimes death. Some of us experience severe trauma and develop PTSD. At some time we are need support. It is never weak to ask for help.

On the surface, things are going well, but you've felt anxious for a long time. Stress, kids, marriage, work - the responsibilities just keep piling up, and you're downright overwhelmed. You know that finding balance is important, but you often wonder what that even means. Your tendencies to people-please make it difficult to prioritize your own needs. At the same time, you realize something has to change.

My style of therapy is one of an eclectic approach that allows me to utilize appropriate interventions based on the needs of each person. I have worked with adolescents and adults in residential/crisis treatment centers, colleges, community mental health facilities, and substance use treatment centers. I have experience with clients diagnosed with severe mental illness, substance abuse, trauma, intellectual disabilities, anxiety, and interpersonal issues. I work with individuals ages 14 and up, who are either coming to therapy for the first time or would like to continue therapy to work on their personal goals.

Being a student is hard and being a student athlete can be even more difficult as you have so many responsibilities that pull you in various directions. The stress you feel, you do not have to carry. My goal is to assist individuals in overcoming challenges and to reach their full potential. I will help you release the heaviness you are carrying. I believe progress toward individual goals cannot be met by a singular focus on the negative aspects of life, and we cannot build on holes. To reach our full potential, we need build on strengths, release anxiety, and transform our challenging experiences into future motivation and growth.