As creatures of habit - and modernization – we as a society have become increasingly stressed, tired, overworked, constantly multi-tasking and mindless in our daily lives. In such an environment, depression, difficulties within primary relationships, isolation, continual feelings of uneasiness or worry, and feelings of disconnection are bound to arise. Practicing mindfulness in one's daily life can enable a person to really savor those pleasurable moments in life that have a tendency of going unappreciated or unnoticed. At the same time, mindfulness frees our attention so that we may deal more effectively with the difficult feelings and situations that confront us daily.

Mindfulness-based therapy encourages the client to lead a more present, mindful, and fully engaged lifestyle. The primary focus is to enable clients to make a simple yet radical shift in their relationship to the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations (e.g., physical pain) that keep them stuck and, very often, discontent. Rather than attaching and trying to change, avoid, or correct certain thoughts or feelings, the client is encouraged to observe these as temporary states of being, in a nonjudgmental way, while beginning to de-identify with them. More traditional "talk therapy" methods are used in conjunction with various techniques and experiential exercises in order to enlarge the capacity of the client to remain in the present moment and therefore become more engaged in his or her life.

Generally speaking, I tailor the level of mindfulness-based therapy and experiential practices to the specific desires, needs, and presenting issues of the client. In certain cases when it seems most appropriate and is desired by the client, I may rely more on the manual-based version of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). MBCT has been shown to be a particularly effective method of reducing stress as well as preventing relapse in individuals struggling with chronic or recurrent depression. In other cases, I tend to combine different therapy techniques with mindfulness-based practices to enhance my work with adults seeking therapy for a wide variety of reasons. I am happy to discuss which of these options seems most appropriate and/or effective for you, based on my clinical judgment as well as your particular needs and desires.