As a creative arts therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner-in-training, I offer an alternative way for working through anxiety and depression.
While remaining grounded in the empirical evidence and understanding of how anxiety and mood disorders function, I provide options for managing and overcoming these conditions that use your own creativity and acknowledge the mind-body-spirit connection. Traditional forms of treatment focus heavily on our ability to think through our problems. From my training in somatic and art-based therapies, as well as my own mindfulness practice, it has become clear to me that the “thinking” mind is not always our best friend when trying to overcome panic or anxiety attacks, or when we are feeling swept away by an unstable or paralyzing mood. In order to overcome the often crippling effects of anxiety or a chronic mood condition, it is necessary to work holistically and include other aspects of our experience, beyond just our thoughts.
Of note: Although I approach my work with anxiety and mood disorders from an alternative perspective, I’m a firm believer that medication treatment can be an important component of management or recovery. In our work together, we will discuss if and how collaboration with a psychiatrist may be part of your overall wellness plan.
Further resources:
For more information about anxiety and depression, please consult the Anxiety and Depression Association of America
For more information about art therapy please visit the webpage for the American Art Therapy Association.
For more information on Somatic Experiencing please refer to the Institute for Human Enrichment website.
For more information on mindfulness-based interventions, check out GoodTherapy.
References:
Beck, A., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R. L. (2005). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. Basic Books.
Miller, J. J., Fletcher, K., & Kabat-Zinn, J. (1995). Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders. General hospital psychiatry, 17(3), 192-200.
Milrod, B., Leon, A. C., Busch, F., Rudden, M., Schwalberg, M., Clarkin, J., … & Graf, E. (2007). A randomized controlled clinical trial of psychoanalytic psychotherapy for panic disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(2), 265-272.