Sitting by the Well Psychotherapy, LLC Ardiana Halilaj

My Background and Approach

I am a bicultural person who has lived most of her life in a country that is different from where I was born and raised. This gives me a unique perspective and approach to therapy. I relate to and deeply value the 'in between' spaces that we all live in throughout most of our life. This is the space where we meet the exiled parts of us that yearn to reunite with the whole. Holding the tension of these opposite realities in our bodies and minds, can be unbearably difficult, feeling stuck, torn and suffering deeply. As a result, we develop harmful ways of coping that perpetuate a behavioral pattern that can be wounding to our self and others. Often these patterns are encouraged by the culture and/or family we grew up in, and sometimes they were even helpful to us. And yet, if we can find other ways to be with our bodies and our inner suffering tremendous healing may occur. We may learn effective ways to harness wisdom in a way that propels us towards living more fully.

My Approach to Helping

My approach to therapy is person and relationship centered, collaborative and to deeply attune to bring your strength and inner wisdom to utilize in our therapeutic process and your growth. It's my belief that depression, anxiety, addiction and other symptoms show up to initiate us on this journey of healing. My depth oriented psychological approach with a focus on embodied feeling will enable us to take a deeper dive into the issues that bring you to therapy, by looking beneath the surface of symptoms, and toward the root of suffering. Together we will explore and try practical approaches to closely pay attention to your body's sensations, feelings, beliefs, images, dreams, actions and other aspects of your inner world. The more you learn about yourself in a non-judgmental way, you may develop more agency over some life choices and relate to yourself with increased compassion. This deeper connection with yourself can lead to relating to others in also, a deeper and more effective way.