Counseling
Approach
The foundation of Elizabeth’s work with individuals, couples, and groups is relational. Before any other work can occur in counseling, an atmosphere of respect and safety must be developed within the relationship.
Trusting in the power of individuals to find their own solutions to life’s difficulties, she uses a person-centered therapy approach in her work with clients—working as a facilitator and coach to help people discover and access their inner resources.
Bringing a trauma-informed perspective to her work, Elizabeth recognizes that unresolved grief and hurt are often at the root of individuals feeling stressed, "stuck," or unhappy. She helps individuals and couples identify their strengths, release pain from past experiences, and move closer to the joyful lives they desire living.
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
She uses principles from mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to help clients learn to identify how their thoughts can contribute to or help lessen their difficulties and pain. She also teaches clients various methods for slowing down their mind so that they can more fully experience the present moment — including meditation strategies, visualization, breath focus, and grounding exercises.
EMDR
Elizabeth has completed both Level I and Level II training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as well as several advanced training programs on the use of EMDR with children and adolescents, severe trauma, dissociation, and enhancing executive performance levels. She is experienced in using EMDR to facilitate clients’ successful healing from trauma, grief and anxiety — freeing them to live more empowered and joyous lives.
Expressive Arts
The expressive arts provide a wonderful vehicle for self-expression and the exploration of alternative perspectives. Elizabeth encourages interested clients to experiment in session and between sessions with using the expressive arts (collage, writing, music, etc.) as a tool for greater self-awareness, the opening of new possibilities, and the creation of empowering visions for the change they desire.
- "In my experience with Elizabeth, I was able to overcome issues that had plagued me for most of my adolescent and adult life.
Through the use of EMDR and talking through with Elizabeth what was being brought out in the EMDR sessions, I was able to get to the bottom of past experiences that were severely handicapping me in my daily life. I have worked with several counselors in the past and this was the first time that it all came together and got the results I was seeking.
I can’t thank Elizabeth enough for guiding me through the alterations and amendments of life that have made me a stronger, joyful, and peaceful person."
— Client
"I value Elizabeth’s very intuitive and insightful way of helping me to uncover and recognize situations, patterns, and thought processes that were having a negative impact on me being able to truly live. Her use of EMDR was a key process of breaking the hold of old traumatic situations that were zapping my energy and keeping me from living a more joyful life. "
— Client
