Margaret McNeal (she/her)

Humanistic 

We are each unique expressions of nature held in complex interrelationships with one another and world around us. I approach our work holistically and see clients as unique and whole people—not as constellations of symptoms, not with a one-size-fits-all approach. I believe in your intrinsic wisdom and goodness, in the intelligence of the body and psyche, and see my role as therapist as that of a collaborative and skillful guide with you in the driver's seat.

Depth Therapy

Depth therapy includes psychodynamic and transpersonal approaches to psychotherapy—meaning, we will look beneath the surface level of your symptoms to discover how to heal and integrate, as well as discover threads of meaning woven through your inner and outer experiences that connect you with the web of life. We may use parts work, relationship, dreams, body, art, and the "here-and-now"/present-centered approaches in therapy.

Somatic Therapy (Body Centered)

The body is an essential aspect of our self and wellbeing. Modern science echoes the wisdom held in many ancient traditions that the body is integral to our psychology, that psyche and soma are not separate. Somatic work can powerfully reveal and heal hidden aspects of our experience through exploration of movement, posture, and symptoms. Somatic work is also a useful complement to trauma work and IFS/"parts work" that helps facilitate regulation and expansion of the self.

Psychodynamic 

Unlike symptom-focused, brief therapeutic modalities, psychodynamic therapy is proven to create sustained, lasting change. Psychodynamic therapy facilitates self-exploration, understanding relationship patterns, and examining emotional blind spots; by addressing root cause, symptoms can shift. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/01/psychodynamic-therapy#:~:text=Psychodynamic%20therapy%20focuses%20on%20the,patterns%20in%20the%20patient's%20life.

Eclectic

Our work will be unique to you. I draw from many different modalities depending on the client, including aspects of Internal Family Systems "parts work", sensorimotor psychotherapy (body-based trauma work), gestalt, role-play, attachment theory, neurobiology, process-oriented psychology (Process Work), creative arts, etc.

Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem issues are often rooted in the unconscious and tied to messages from our personal history or the dominant culture. Together, we will uncover and shift the hidden dynamics bringing you down. Be it an inner critic or internalized abuse, we will work to create a more compassionate and empowering relationship with yourself that sees and celebrates your gifts, helping to bring them to fruition.

Anxiety

Anxiety benefits from a "roots" and "branches" approach. We will work to create safety, grounding, and your capacity for self-regulation, while also exploring the underlying, unique, unconscious context from which anxiety occurs. By unfolding the particular qualities of your anxiety and understanding where it originates and what it wants, we will work toward long lasting change, freeing the energy back into the flow of your life.

Personal Growth

Personal growth is an exploratory process towards becoming more congruent: a state of alignment between beliefs, values, actions, and speech; an integrative interrelationship between our worldly and soul selves. Therapy is geared towards actualizing the highest possible good within yourself in the world, and to deepening your experience of life and meaning. Through relationships, dreams, body experiences, mindfulness, art, and more, we will explore and expand your unique nature and awareness.

Chronic Pain or Illness

During my early 20s, I suffered from Lyme disease. It can be challenging to find a therapist sympathetic to health challenges, I know. Chronic illness can affect every aspect of one's life and identity. Together, we will tend both your outer and inner experiences of illness. In doing so, we will learn the language of the body and bring awareness to messages and meaning in your symptoms, while supporting you through daily challenges, too.

Immigration/Acculturation

Immigration is a challenging process that impacts every aspect of experience and identity. In my personal life, I am married to a South American immigrant and we have navigated the immigration process together. Additionally, life has led me into many cross-cultural experiences and I have tremendous respect for other cultural ways of knowing and being. Together, we can help ease and find meaning in your transition into a new culture, helping you grow while staying connected to yourself.