Background
Here is a bit of information about me. I am originally from Greece. I graduated from the University of Rochester with my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2007. During my training I offered therapy to individuals, couples and families at the Strong Family Therapy Clinic as well as the Women’s Behavioral Health Center. I also worked with short-term patients and long-term residents at Monroe Community Hospital. After working in a community mental health setting for a while I became a stay at home mom. You see, I have multiple perspectives on gender and relationship dynamics and how it all destabilizes and stabilizes again as couples go through life transitions… Time came for me to go back to work and it became clear to me that I wanted to work with couples and help them as they went through their struggles and transitions. I pursued additional training in couples therapy. Initially, I obtained the Gottman Level 1 Certificate. Then I completed a year long training on the Developmental Model for Couples Therapy at the Couples Institute. I have been training on the Crucible Approach for couples therapy since 2015 and I am currently completing the Sex Therapy Track of the Sexual Health Certificate Program at the University of Michigan.
Philosophy
“And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin
Avoiding pain, uncertainty and discomfort is a driving force for all living beings. We would rather avoid what is unfamiliar, makes us feel uncomfortable or threatens our sense of calm. It’s a survival mechanism. But is that survival mechanism always helpful? How does it play out in our relationships with our significant others? Often times we decide to stay in a situation that we are not happy with because change brings uncertainty and that’s scary. Entering therapy is not an easy decision to make because of that same fear of change but it certainly is a way to increase your tolerance for anxiety and discomfort, push your limits, and start enjoying a more intimate and authentic relationship with yourself and the people you love.
Approach
“Only the best in us talks about the worst in us because the worst in us lies about its own existence” -Dr. David Schnarch
I use a systemic lens to view the world and I believe we are best understood in the context of our relationships with others rather than in isolation. I think there is great benefit in gaining insight about the past and how it might be affecting the way you relate to others in the present and make decisions for the future. That said, you can expect that I will ask you tough questions but I will be there with you all the way till you get the tough answers you need. I will help you fight your way to clarity and that sometimes means that you need to look into the mirror. And that’s OK because you are more resilient and adaptable than you think and I will fight for you to see that. Until you stand strong on your own two feet and start living a more fulfilling life.
