The art of Kintsugi, developed in Japan in the fifteenth century, is the process in which a broken object is repaired with lacquer and gold dust.  It is also a powerful metaphor for emotional healing since this repair is methodical, meticulous, and requires patience.  The broken shards, which are considered a part of the object's history, are accentuated with gold dust.  The object’s past is honored- rather than forgotten, hidden, or considered shameful.  At the end of this process, the object is considered more precious and the golden "scars" bear witness to its transformation. 


Although painful life experiences are inevitable, in those moments when we feel “broken”, it is important to allow ourselves the time and opportunity to heal.  I hope to embrace the metaphorical process of Kintsugi  to help you through the pain, towards health and growth.   


-  Rumi

KINTSUGI :(Japanese) "to repair with gold"


Human head as a set of puzzles on the wo

My first priority is to establish a collaborative relationship with you that is built upon safety and trust.  In fact, the strength of the patient-therapist relationship is the most significant predictor of treatment outcome.  This is best summarized by therapist Dr. Allan Schore, "A patient’s emotional growth depends on the therapist’s ability to move, and to be moved by, those that come to him for help.”  

In the past, mental health professionals had the belief that therapy and medication work differently - that medication works on the brain and therapy works on the mind.  Fortunately, given advances in brain imaging, we now know better!  Medication and therapy are both biological treatments that work synergistically to restore balance to the brain; medication via chemical changes and therapy via increased neural connectivity.  This rewiring of the brain occurs because therapy provides a new learning experience through which we can explore the meanings attached to past experiences and how those meanings influence your perception of the present. 

This combined approach is not only more effective, but it is also my preference.  We will explore your childhood in order to establish links between your early life experiences and current dysfunctional beliefs (i.e.  "I'm not lovable", "In general, you can't trust other people", "Others won't be there when I need comfort and support").  For more information, see Why taking an early childhood history matters?  Finally, we will work towards incorporating more effective ways of having your emotional needs met.  




fear of social situations abstract conce
Depressed sad mood action of cute box do
Therapist speaking to rehab group at the
Two wooden figures and a red broken hear
Modern Laptop