How I Work
I begin with the gracefulness of each moment and each life.
Each past moment has led to this one, and every future possibility will have a thread to this present.
Even in pain, loss, and fear, there is a simplicity to this truth.
Together, we will rest into the elegance of you, and of all of the moments that have led you to seek therapeutic support.
Intuitive:
Through attunement and non-judgmental curiosity, I follow emotions like a plumb line to get to the depth of what has brought you to therapy. I will support you in developing a friendliness to your emotional landscape. This can support you in processing and moving emotions so they can guide you, and not undo you.
Sensible:
Grounded in mindfulness and emotional awareness, I offer guidance that is practical, direct, and based on my training in evidence-based treatment modalities. LEARN MORE ABOUT TREATMENT MODALITIES
Living Vividly:
Attending to the difficulties in life - loss and heartbreak and pain - can be like shedding away our protective layers and letting our light shine through. There is radiance there.
“I believe that change flows easiest from self-acceptance and that self-acceptance is nurtured through the telling, the listening, and the embodied expressions of outlives.”
How I Work
Evidence-Based Therapy
Evidence-based treatments are therapies that are grounded in research, and have been shown to be effective. I am trained in several evidence-based practices: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and EMDR. Using evidence-based modalities, I help individuals recognize, process, and better respond to their emotions.
Clients who work with me often experience increased self-acceptance and confidence, improvement in their relationships, release of the emotional impacts of trauma, and an ability to use emotional information to guide them towards greater meaning and purpose.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a form of psychotherapy that attends to the ways thoughts and behaviors impact emotions - a relationship that is referred to as the “cognitive triangle.” This active and practical therapy is highly effective in shifting unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) &
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
DBT and ACT are “third wave” CBT therapies. Whereas CBT focuses on changing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors, DBT and ACT focus on shifting an individual’s relationship to uncomfortable internal experiences.
Mindfulness practices are key components of both DBT and ACT. DBT skills are incredibly effective for emotion regulation. ACT interventions tend to reduce one’s experience of suffering and support movement towards more meaningful and value-driven lives.
Mindfulness and Compassion Focused Approach
Mia Houtermans teaches mindfulness of emotions - learning to fully feel your emotions while also witnessing this process with compassion and gentle acceptance. This sweet, and intense work flows from her years of vipassana meditation pracitce, and her application of compassion focused mindfulness practices in the clinical space.
Trauma Therapy
I specialize in the treatment of trauma and chronic stress. I am trained in Cognitive Processing therapy (CPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR).
These modalities, along with an attention to trauma-informed mindfulness practices and somatic interventions, are effective in calming the nervous system dysregulation caused by trauma and chronic stress.
Cognitive Processing therapy (CPT)
CPT is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps clients to stop avoidng trauma related thoughts and emotions. This brief and systemic treatment supports patients in shifting core beliefs (about the world, and about themselves) that rigidly endure following traumatic experiences.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a form of psychotherapy that can help people recover from trauma, and other emotional difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and panic disorder. EMDR supports the release of trauma from the body through somatic awareness, which leads to changes in cognition.