The depth of our unconscious mind! Originally developed by Sigmund Freud, psychoanalysis focuses on our unconscious forces, desires, impulses, and defenses.

A natural part of the human experience is pain and suffering. Sometimes experiences are so distressing, that they rewire the way we live. How did you learn to cope with what has happened to you?

What can we learn about ourselves from our early attachment experiences, our caregivers, our romantic relationships, and the therapeutic attachment experience?

How do our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact? How can we challenge these interactions and promote more cognitive flexibility?

How can we better cope with intense emotions and tolerate distress? How do we hold opposing or contradictory thoughts and truths (dialectic)?

We grieve people, time, health, opportunities, and so much more. How do we process loss, say goodbye, and continue to say “hello” after loss? How do we integrate what we’ve lost into our present and our future?

What do we leave behind? What do we carry of those who’ve passed? In end of life settings, we aim to protect one’s dignity and life story amidst illness and debility.

We learn to play before we learn to speak! Games, toys, puzzles, jokes can illuminate our inner world and help us cope with hardships, difficult emotions, and stress. Sometimes all we can do is laugh!

Every family system is made up of different parts. You may feel like you have a role or identity within your family. What part do you play in your family system? How do you play this role inside and outside of family relationships?