Dr. Cole's Therapeutic Approach
Regardless of the therapy approach, my style is always trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, affirming, compassionate, strength-based, systemic, and decolonizing.
I primarily work with Black, Latinx, multi-racial, and LGBTQ+ folx, as well as first-gen, business and healthcare professionals. My clients explore navigating racial trauma and systemic oppression, anxiety, depression, and unfulfillment in life. They explore generational patterns, process trauma (early life and present day), work on relationships, boundaries, and self-worth, and use therapy as a tool for personal growth and self-discovery.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a structured therapy intervention that uses bilateral stimulation through eye movements, sound, or physical sensation, to help folx stay regulated in the present moment, while processing and lessening the activation of traumatic or high-stress experiences. This approach incorporates somatic awareness and mindfulness and teaches regulation strategies.
I use EMDR to help process and explore distressing experiences while learning mental, emotional, and physically regulating coping strategies. I provide EMDR virtually with many accessibility offerings.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a modality that focuses on our thoughts and the impact of those thoughts on our emotions and behaviors. CBT involves challenging unhelpful thinking patterns & rumination and replaces these patterns with reframing, perspective-shifting & problem-solving. Together we will explore core beliefs and how they impact perceptions of the world and self.
It is one of the most commonly used talk-therapy approaches and can easily be integrated into many interventions from other modalities.
Emotion Focused
Somatic Psychotherapy
I offer a range of emotionally focused somatic therapies that use mindful awareness of the body and emotions to help regulate and process feelings.
This approach blends Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which focuses on understanding and transforming emotional patterns, with Somatic Therapy practices like movement, deep breathing, and yoga. Together, we’ll explore techniques to shift out of the mind and into the body, addressing how emotions are stored and reactivated.
I welcome spiritual, ancestral, cultural, or personal rituals and practices as part of this holistic approach.
Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT)
ACT teaches mindfulness skills to explore and accept thoughts & emotions, rather than fight and avoid them, as avoidance often creates more significant challenges. ACT explores personal values and committed action to help folx stay more aligned with what is important. I offer support and encourage folx to leverage the power of language to help behavioral change. This includes using one's values to guide choices and decisions in life, to remain more aligned with what is important and authentic.
Yoga-Psychotherapy
Yoga-psychotherapy is a somatic approach to help manage distressing symptoms, increase introspection, & cultivate an intuitive relationship with one's whole self. It integrates yoga education, principles, postures, & breath-work into traditional psychotherapy theory.
Yoga therapy can support mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and social health. In these sessions we will flow between gentle mindful movement, introspection, and talk-therapy processing. Always aknocweging the roots from where this practice was born, and practicing in shared gratitude.
No yoga experience is necessary.
Attachment / Relationship Therapy
Attachment Therapy looks at how early life relationships, or the absence of them, shape and continuously impact one's current intimate, romantic & platonic relationships. It examines conscious and unconscious patterns of anxiety and avoidance in an attempt to access emotional safety in connection.
I also consider the relationship with the therapist (me) and use it as a mirror to explore patterns in other personal relationships. Attachment-based therapy is used to manage mood disorders, anxiety disorders, unresolved childhood trauma, and relationship issues.
