For patterns that persist despite your best efforts to change them.

You may have sought therapy before—or be coming now—feeling stuck and exhausted from struggling against patterns that don't seem to change. You may understand where they came from, have talked about them, read about them, and worked hard to manage them. And still, something doesn't shift.

As an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist in Santa Barbara, I help people explore these patterns with curiosity rather than judgment. Often, the ways we protect ourselves—through overthinking, perfectionism, self-reliance, people-pleasing, emotional distance, control, or constantly pushing through—began as ways of helping us navigate pain, uncertainty, or disconnection. What once protected us, however, can eventually begin to limit us, leaving us feeling stuck, disconnected, or unable to fully engage in the relationships and life we want.

IFS understands the mind as made up of different parts, each with its own perspective, feelings, and role. Rather than fighting against these parts or trying to overcome them, we turn toward them with curiosity and compassion, seeking to understand their good intentions and how they came to operate in the ways they do.

This is experiential therapy, meaning change happens not only through insight, but through what is felt, discovered, and experienced in the room. As we develop a deeper understanding of the parts of you that have worked so hard to protect you, something often begins to soften. And it is that softening that allows old patterns to change.

Over time, many clients find themselves less governed by old protective responses and more able to tolerate vulnerability, uncertainty, and complexity. They often describe feeling more at ease within themselves—calmer, more present, more connected to others, and more open to the full range of their experience.

50 mins | $210

I do not accept insurance, but I can provide monthly superbills for clients seeking out-of-network reimbursement.