Perry Firth

It is not easy finding a therapist, and I know all of our profiles start to blur together. The fact that you are willing to slog through this phase in the process is a good sign! I specialize in working with complexity, whether this stems from trauma, neurodivergence, giftedness, anxiety or depression. Many of my clients are perfectionistic, self-critical, and guilt prone. They often diminish their strengths and heavily focus on their weaknesses. This can cause them to feel a continuous sense of threat or anxiety, and shame about who they are. If this goes on long enough, they can struggle to envision a world where they feel better, or a future where they are happy with who they are. Often when clients start therapy with me, they want challenge themselves and yet feel stuck in their heads or in their relationships; it can feel overwhelming to start when it feels like everything is wrong. In an effort to manage all of this, they often struggle with avoidance, self-harm, or other risky behaviors. Here is what I can tell you: Both high achievement and greater peace are possible; these are not mutually exclusive. You have strengths, including potential you have not yet discovered. You are more than your trauma, transcend any diagnosis, and better then how you see yourself in your most self-critical moments. I help my clients develop stability and effective ways of treating themselves and others. I teach my clients how to both challenge and care for themselves at the same time, and how to develop the skills they need to do this. Harmful patterns are identified and changed. To facilitate this work I use evidence-based interventions, including CBT, DBT skills, relaxation, trauma processing, self-compassion, and exposure therapy/ERP. I also use the therapeutic relationship to address relational needs or attachment issues. For those clients with OCD and anxiety disorders I use exposure therapy/exposure and response prevention therapy with clear goals. I recognize that clients need structure throughout the change process; I make sure that we are focused on goals and exploring patterns and themes week to week so that there is continuity. If in the past you have felt like you had therapists who didn't appropriately direct the session and that there was no connection between sessions, please know that I do not work that way. As a person I am warm, direct, collaborative, and humorous when appropriate. I am non-defensive and welcome feedback. I offer all potential clients a free 20-minute phone call to help assess fit. Please email me if you'd like to chat and I look forward to hearing from you!