Conscious & Unconscious

A wholistic approach considers both conscious and unconscious processes that contribute to our experience and behavior, as well as the relationship between the conscious and unconscious. By conscious I mean that which we are aware of in a given moment, awareness that can be expressed through verbal language. By unconscious I mean that which we are unaware of in a given moment. The unconscious consists of things like implicit memories formed in the pre-verbal years of life, the presence and influence of which has been scientifically validated. The unconscious "speaks" largely through non-verbal symbols, such as feelings and images. Bringing attention to these unconscious contents can increase the amount of information we have with which to make conscious decisions, as well as release some of the energy that these unconscious contents might otherwise exert on our thinking and behavior.

Mind & Body

The growing recognition in many health fields of the connection between the mind and the body is vitally important in psychotherapy. As biological beings, the functioning of our bodies affects our mental well-being. The various systems of the human body, including the brain and larger nervous system, digestive system, and immune system, all work together as an integrated unit to contribute to both physical and mental health. Thus, caring for the physical body helps to build a healthy mind. As mental and spiritual (energy) beings, our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, intentions, and stress influence the functioning of our bodies. Hence, exploring the contents of the conscious and unconscious mind can improve physical health.

Complementary Approaches

I have a working knowledge of several complementary approaches to physical and mental health, including biological medicine, chiropractic, and nutrition. I also have working relationships with practitioners in such disciplines, should you decide to explore options that would complement and enhance the gains made with psychotherapy.

Diagnosis & Symptoms

Diagnosis is useful for guiding treatment as well as for meeting requirements for insurance coverage. Early in treatment, the information that you share with me will help me to assign a diagnosis that provides a snapshot of the most salient presenting issues and that serves as justification for insurance coverage. However, from a wholistic perspective, this diagnosis is simply a useful label and far from the whole story of a person and his or her needs. A more thorough diagnosis will include an investigation and explanation of underlying issues that may be contributing to the presenting problems. This helps to create treatment that is individually tailored to a person, rather than treatment that is mechanically applied to a diagnosis.

It follows naturally from this perspective on diagnosis that symptoms are viewed as manifestations of a problem and are not confused with the problem itself. Symptoms are often sources of information, providing clues about where to focus therapeutic attention. In addition, I find it important to focus not only on symptoms and problems, but also on strengths and abilities. As indicated by the image of the mandala above, symptoms are only one part of a complex unit. It is important to learn about how symptoms fit within the larger bio-psycho-social context of one's life in order to make decisions about how to best address them.

I view the state of health as being more than merely "symptom free." I believe that therapy can be utilized not only to return a person to baseline functioning, but also as a means for improving quality of life.