Psychoanalysis is depth work. I offer space and time for the unconscious to unfold, and become more available for creative purposes, while also engaging actively with the here and now. I encourage patients to examine that which blocks, but also supports them, in accessing greater freedom and authenticity within themselves and in their relationships.
I pay special attention to how a patient’s patterns of relating arise in their relationship with me, what is referred to as transference, an opportunity to make conscious, and ideally shift and expand, a patient’s relational repertoire.
This work requires patience and sustained curiosity, though I respect whatever a patient is seeking: short-term, focused work, or longer term exploration beyond basic symptom relief. Whatever the length of treatment or frequency of sessions, I’ve noticed healing seems to occur when one is listened to in a focused and empathic manner.
Social Justice
I am a lifelong student of social justice, continually looking to broaden and complexify my understanding of systemic and oppressive forces. The class I co-teach, Self and Other: Psychoanalysis, Race, and Culture, has given me opportunities to think deeply and dialogue about the ways in which the construct of race, yet material lived reality of racism, disables our humanity.
I’ve benefitted from exploring my whiteness in trainings offered by White Awake, among other sources and spaces. My intention is to center Black and Brown lived experience in the classroom and in the consulting room when talking about race and racism. I also hold an intimate understanding of the impact of immigration on personal development, as well as a long lived life in the LGBTQ community.
“The healing power of any psychotherapeutic method depends on the dosage of its break with the dominant culture.”
-Ignacio Martín-Baró