Ellen Recker

Do you really know who you are, separate from your role as parent, spouse, child, sibling, etc? Do you ever feel like you don't understand why you feel the way you do, or you can't figure out how to stop feeling distressing symptoms of anxiety, loneliness or sadness? I’ve learned that when most people are asked, “What are you feeling?,” they usually start their response with, “I think …,” reflective of their lack of insight as to what makes them tick. Sadly, very few people can identify the emotions they experience. I’d like to help you gain insight to the events, relationships, and emotions that led to who you are and what you’re struggling with today so that you can re-write your life-story with new understanding and a new sense of self that you can present to the world. My approach, from the first session, is to support my clients and create a safe place for them to uncover and explore their issues. I use a combination of warmth, empathy and critical analysis to help clients move from the pain or unhappiness that brings them to therapy to self-actualization and resolution of their problems. I help clients identify painful emotions and unmet needs and determine the best way to reconcile them. In session, I educate clients about the psychological factors contributing to their distress and teach them life-skills (coping, communication, emotional processing, meditation, body awareness, etc.). I engage clients in a discussion of the effectiveness of the use of these skills and help them understand the positive emotional shifts that result. In essence, I seek to create space for clients to "just be," without expectations, so they feel safe enough to "become" who and what they want and need. Please call me to schedule a free consult to discuss how we can work together to help you feel better.