Is Zen Therapy right for me?
Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with long-standing pscyhological issues, or problems with anxiety or depression. Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in one's life such as divorce or work transition. Many seek the advice of counsel as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges.

The Zen Therapy that I offer is professional mental health therapy practiced through a process of increased present moment awareness and focuses on the state of being vs. thinking about how to be. It will help you to simply explore your own authentic nature versus states of illusions, or ego. This perspective is known in the psychological community as, "Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy" and it is a scientific evidence-based practice that is well respected by most modern psycotherapists within mental health communities around the world. Zen Therapy is a process that can be done through understanding feeling states in the moment and what triggers them as they are happening.

What if I am not interested in meditating and just want '"regular therapy?"
If you would like you may opt to learn basic meditation techniques to assist with reconnection to nature and the vast energy of the universe that surrounds and maybe even helps to heal us. That decision would be totally up to you. This form of therapy can, with practice, lead to a dramatic increase in your self awareness and help with inner conflicts and double guessing yourself. A solid sense of where one fits into the world around us will help increase self esteem and dissolve petty hangups and feelings of disconnection, loss, or abandonment; but, If you prefer a more traditional or, cognitive behavioral, approach to therapy then I would be happy to accommodate you with no meditation involved.

But I am a Christian (for example) and don't want to compromise my religious faith by taking part in Zen therapy, is that possible?
Zen Therapy is not a cult nor is it a religion. It is based on an ancient eastern philosophy of experience of "being." A Zen awareness will compliment any religious practice since it simply redirects focus away from the intellectual mind and into a more authentic experiential and dynamically living awareness. It is, in essence, whatever something means to you in that moment by acknowledging the moment and how you are experiencing it.

There are no Zen philosophy doctrines or rules involved. It would be up to you if you wanted to learn about such things from those other than myself. I don't teach that aspect of Zen philosophy and don't claim to be a "Zen Master." Instead, we would focus on simple post therapy homework assignments to work on throughout the week that are related to topics that you feel you are struggling with in your thoughts. I help you to create individualized exercises that may help you become more mindful of present moment awareness. If you gain something from basic meditative techniques then you are practicing Zen Therapy. The clients that I see are of varied religions and philosophies and continue to practice their religious faiths. Oftentimes, clients even report a renewed sense of faith after feeling more in tune with their own authentic inner experiences.

Do you accept insurance?
I do not currently accept insurance. For more information on my rates and payment policies, please click here.

Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra suppport when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a committment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

How can Zen Therapy help me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in Zen Therapy. Zen therapy is also known in the professional psychological community as: Minfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. I help in providing you with an understanding of how certain patterns, or themes, of thoughts can become addictive and detrimental. We will work on helping you to replace negative thinking into more flexible and open ways that make room for the changes that you would like to make in life. During therapy, we will also look at how family dynamics, or how we related to our families, and they to us, as children, and how that can affect our ways of relating as adults.

Through Zen Therapy, the goal is to increase feelings of inner-peace and joy through the art of a mindfulness philosophy. This can be achieved through simple meditation or, by processing hidden thoughts that may have formed a sense of identity that is in all actuality a dynamic process. Once we realize the changeable nature of thoughts and our sense of "who I am" we can empower ourselves to grow and change in the direction of increased health, joy, and prosperity. Self-awareness is a process and Zen Therapy will help facilitate it in a warm, peaceful, and positive environment where therapist and client may join in your openess and candidness- with very few limits.

I can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The beneifts you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. On occasion, there will be small homework assignments betewen sessions that will help you process certain thoughts and feelings that you've discussed during therapy. Some of the benefits available from Zen Therapy include:

Attaining a better understanding of your self, your goals and vaiues.
Developing skills for improving your relationships.
Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy.
Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety.
Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures.
Improving communications and listening skills.
Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones.
Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage.
Improving your self esteem and boosting your self confidence.

For more information on Zen and Psychotherapy, please click here.

What is therapy like?
Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. It is standard for therapists to discuss the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. It is comon to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts around fifty minutes. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth.

There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track cetain behaviors. It is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life between sessions. For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during and between sessions. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives. Here are some things you can expect out of therapy.

Compassion, respect and understanding.
Perspectives to illuminate persistent patterns and negative feelings.
Real strategies for enacting positive change.
Effective and proven techniques along with practical guidance.

Is therapy confidential
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist. No information is disclosed without prior written persmission from the client. However, there are some exceptions required by law to this rule. Exceptions include:

Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required to report this to the authorities immediately.
If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person. The therapist is required to notify the police.
If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.

E-counseling, what is this about?
This is a quality way to have therapy by seeing and hearing through video conferencing technology on the computer. There are no delays and the picture and sound quality are excellent. I recommend this type of therapy for those with transportation issues, deployed servicemembers who may wish to remain anonymous, or anyone who would find it more convenient to do therapy from the comfort of their own home.

In order to begin E-counseling, you will need:

a high speed internet connection.
a webcam and microphone for your computer- both are standard accessories that come pre-installed on many laptops.
Skype software installed, it's free with others who have Skype and you may begin "Skyping" today by clicking here.

The same practice ethics, standards, and rules of confientiality apply during E-counseing just as for face-to-face psychotherapy sessions. No third party is involved and your conference call and information is kept private and unrecorded. For more information on Skype's privacy policy, please click here.

Questions?
Please contact me anytime between Monday through Friday, from 9 AM until 7 PM, to request a free 30 minute phone or office consultation.