consultation for therapists, dieticians, and health professionals
learn how to approach any complex case from a modern psychoanalytic perspective
Individual and group consultations help us grow as mental health professionals. They encourage self-reflection and deepen our understanding of psychotherapy techniques, whether cognitive-behavioral or humanistic. Consultations also offer direct feedback and guidance from experienced colleagues, which improves our professional work.
Angela is a respected expert and a CAMFT-approved continuing education provider (CEPA #29074). She leads consultation groups and workshops for mental health practitioners at all career stages. Her 90-minute sessions are focused and practical, so each participant leaves with a personalized intervention plan they can use right away. These sessions help build skills and provide Continuing Education Units (CEUs), supporting professional requirements and improving therapeutic work. Angela’s programs give professionals useful tools and techniques they can apply immediately, helping them grow both personally and professionally.
Writing From The Inside OuT
Unearth your creative unconscious to craft compelling clinical vignettes that transform your approach to therapy, enhancing the in-session experience and your overall practice. This group is for licensed and pre-licensed clinicians eager to explore a rich tapestry of embodied, creative, and analytic psychotherapy techniques.
Here, you will find a nurturing space for consultation that fosters growth and enhances your existing psychotherapy framework.
Engaging in writing allows you to uncover insights and emotions beneath your conscious awareness. As we write and discuss together in a collaborative environment, our senses sharpen and we become more attuned to our vulnerabilities. This shared experience can lead to deeper insights and a more genuine, responsive understanding of therapeutic techniques, enriching your capacity to connect with and support your clients.
Creativity & Countertransference: Leveraging the Therapist's Experience as a Therapeutic Strategy
This comprehensive group is designed to enhance your clinical skills and broaden your understanding of treating complex cases by thoughtfully integrating somatic and psychoanalytic theories and techniques. Participants will engage in a transformative learning experience emphasizing the importance of emotional awareness in therapy. For example, imagine noticing a client’s tightened jaw and sensing the tension behind their words in the room, which you then gently link to unspoken anger. We explore how your feelings and experiences, as well as embodied reactions, can serve as valuable tools for understanding and supporting your clients.
The group includes in-depth case presentations in which participants discuss their unique challenges and insights. Which of your current cases would you like to bring for fresh perspectives? Each case discussion encourages constructive feedback and collaborative dialogue, allowing you to gain multiple perspectives on your clinical work. Additionally, we study carefully selected readings that complement our discussions, offering theoretical frameworks and practical applications you can apply directly in your practice.
This group aims to deepen your therapeutic approach by fostering an environment of reflection and exploration. It will equip you with the skills to navigate the complexities of human emotions and enhance your effectiveness as a clinician. Imagine leaving your sessions feeling reinvigorated, with a renewed sense of confidence in your ability to connect and help. Join this journey of professional growth and personal discovery as we learn to integrate our feelings into our practice in a meaningful way.
In my individual consultations, I focus on the concept of countertransference as a fundamental element that deepens the therapeutic journey. Countertransference describes the emotional responses therapists develop in reaction to their clients, and I believe these feelings can drive healing. I guide clinicians to name and examine their emotional responses, encouraging them to lean into these intuitions rather than dismiss them as barriers.
Through this exploration, therapists learn to consider their countertransference not just as a signal of their own emotional landscape, but as a resonant tool that can enhance their therapeutic effectiveness. This approach is inspired by foundational work in the psychodynamic tradition, particularly that of Paula Heimann and Heinrich Racker, who highlighted the value of countertransference as a clinical instrument rather than merely an obstacle. By recognizing the value of these emotional experiences, therapists can better empathize with their clients, leading to a more profound understanding of the clients' struggles and motivations.
This approach equips clinicians to engage with their clients on a deeper emotional level, fostering a therapeutic alliance that is rich with authenticity. As therapists learn to navigate their feelings and utilize them constructively, they can create a safe space for clients to explore their own emotions, ultimately transforming the therapeutic process into a shared journey of growth and healing.
To help clinicians put these concepts into practice, I invite them to reflect during supervision using open questions such as: What might my emotional reaction to this client reveal about their inner world? How does my feeling inform me about the dynamics in the therapeutic relationship? In what ways might my response hold clues to the client's unspoken needs or experiences? By bringing these questions into supervisory sessions, clinicians can begin to turn theoretical understanding of countertransference into practical, lived experience.