My Convictions
Many of us receive the message, consciously and unconsciously, that in order to be safe we have to keep it small; we have to shrink to fit others’ needs and expectations; we have to change to be “good.” We often believe we have to sacrifice pieces of ourselves in the name of taking care of others. As a result of this well-intentioned contraction, we often feel flat, frustrated, bored, or disconnected.
We are taught that we must choose between being selfish or selfless, but I see that we have an alternative. We can choose to be “self-full.” When we are our most authentic selves, we have the most light and love to share with others. When we bring our full selves to the table, we create the possibility of real intimacy. And when we live in our vibrancy, we feel our deepest joy.
Being our most authentic selves is the greatest gift and the most compassionate act we can offer in this life. I have developed a model for transformational change based on these convictions, and I call it Compassionate Authenticity.
Bio
I am a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in South Burlington, Vermont. I completed a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology. I also have training in intuitive awareness and healing, which allows for deep, rapid change towards a state of natural health and well-being. I am a member of the 4-D network, an international group of clinicians trained in Dr. Gina Ogden’s ground breaking and award winning model of holistic and integrative sex therapy.
My practice is located at Eastern View Integrative Medicine, where, together with an inter-disciplinary team of colleagues, I co-founded Eastern View Mental Health: A Center for Authentic Development. I do my best to balance my work life with my own journey for authenticity, and a rich and raucous family life with my husband and two daughters in central Vermont.