Life can feel overwhelming.
Whether you’re navigating the challenges of a relationship, processing grief, or struggling with anxiety, it’s easy to feel stuck and unsure where to turn. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I should be able to handle this,” or “Why does this feel so hard?”—you’re not alone.

In my years as a therapist, I’ve heard countless clients express these feelings. The good news? There is hope, and healing is possible.

Why We Feel Stuck
When life’s challenges pile up, it’s natural to feel like you’re treading water, just trying to stay afloat. Often, our core beliefs—formed through past experiences—shape how we react to stress. These beliefs can sometimes hold us back, keeping us stuck in patterns of worry, doubt, or fear.

For example:

• Do you feel like you’re constantly “not enough”?
• Do you struggle to set boundaries or say no?
• Do you find yourself stuck in a cycle of anxiety or sadness?

If any of these resonate, you’re not broken—you’re human. These feelings are signals, and therapy can help you uncover what’s driving them.

The Path Forward
Healing begins when we acknowledge our struggles and seek support. A few ways to start:

• Recognize Patterns: Notice how your thoughts and feelings influence your behaviors. Journaling or reflecting can help identify patterns that aren’t serving you.
• Challenge Core Beliefs: Are the stories you tell yourself still true? Therapy offers a safe space to explore and reframe these beliefs.
• Build Your Toolbox: Practical coping skills, like mindfulness techniques or breathing exercises, can reduce feelings of overwhelm in the moment.
• Seek Connection: Healing often happens in relationships—whether with a trusted friend, partner, or therapist.

Finding Hope Together
As a therapist, I’m here to walk alongside you on this journey. My approach blends evidence-based techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Brainspotting, and EMDR with a faith-based perspective that respects your unique values. Together, we’ll uncover what’s keeping you stuck and find the tools you need to move forward.

You don’t have to navigate this alone. Whether you’re facing trauma, anxiety, grief, or relationship challenges, I’m here to help you discover hope and joy.

Take the Next Step
​If you’re ready to begin your journey toward healing, let’s talk. Contact me today to schedule an appointment or learn more about my therapeutic services. Your brighter future starts with one small step.

Closing Thought:
Life will always have its challenges, but you are stronger than you think. Healing isn’t about doing it perfectly—it’s about showing up, one step at a time.

Most of the couples who come to me for premarital counseling are surprised to learn how much there is to consider before getting married. When their relationship is going well and their focus is on the excitement of their wedding, the honeymoon and future dreams and expectations, it’s hard to imagine what might someday become a source of conflict in the relationship. By the time the wedding date is set and they and/or their families are financially invested, it is hard to think of anything but the wedding or to pay attention to red flags that may come up as indicators of current or future problems in the relationship. But it’s important to keep in mind that after the wedding, all couples must settle into the marriage. What about the marriage?
Unfortunately, some of those dreams and expectations may be unspoken and a potential source of future marital conflict. Each of us brings our own personal history and experiences into a relationship. That creates our paradigm, the lens through which we view life. That’s where premarital counseling is helpful, and it’s most useful before couples are so invested and committed to a wedding that they are beyond considering adjustments to their plan. It may be necessary to take added time to consider their strengths and weaknesses, their dreams and expectations, and work through areas of needed growth in their relationship before they are ready to marry.
So when is the best time to get premarital counseling? Before the engagement. In addition to my clinical training and experience, I bring almost 45 years of marriage experience to the counseling setting. Premarital counseling is one of the things I enjoy most in my practice. You don’t know what you don’t know, so it’s normal that couples are surprised to learn there is so much to consider before making a lifetime commitment to each other. I am a certified facilitator of the Prepare/Enrich Inventory. I like Prepare/Enrich for a number of reasons. It identifies personal styles and covers a wide range of topics that spark discussions designed to help couples know themselves and each other well. In addition, couples learn healthy productive ways to build on their relationship and to navigate conflict both in the couple relationship and with the broader extended family. We also explore hopes and dreams and expectations.
Prepare/Enrich can be customized to accommodate faith based or secular preferences. It is suited for couples who are considering marriage for the first time and those who have been married before and may be blending families. If you are contemplating marriage, or even if you are engaged or recently married, I would consider it an honor to help you navigate the premarital counseling process. Call me at (916) 806-4437 or email me at [email protected] to get started or to address further questions you may have.