SEAGHAN
Blending therapy and spirituality
I am a master therapist. I have mentored, coached, and provided therapy to numerous therapists. I provide training and consultation to multiple agencies. I teach in the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Social Work and Department of Continuing Education.
But what really matters to me more than anything else is personal growth- mine and everyone else's. As a practicing Buddhist, I aspire towards the Bodhisattva vow, a version of which is:
Suffering beings are numberless, I vow to liberate them all. Attachment is inexhaustible, I vow to release it all. The gates to truth are numberless, I vow to master them all.
I truly believe that we can all overcome that which holds us back- in terms of mental illness, life stressors, grief, etc, but also in terms of that which keeps us from aspiring to and working towards being free. I want to help people- clients or not- to explore the journey towards being truly awake and free.
My primary strategy as a therapist is to ensure that every choice I make is functional, meaning that each choice is designed to move the client forward in ways that actually result in change, clarity, and freedom. Too much therapy is like wandering in the woods, frankly, without a clear end-goal of path. I develop treatment plans with clients, collaboratively, so that we are on the same page about what needs to happen and how to get there.
I use a variety of therapy methods to help us get where that point where real change happens.
I am a certified EMDR Therapist, as well as an Approved Consultant and Basic Training Provider. EMDR is a way to help take old memories and change how they are stored so that they no longer create disturbance or disotions on our actions and identity.
I am an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) therapist as well. ACT
is about creating a new relationship to the thoughts, feelings, and body sensations that try to keep up from doing what really matters to us- even when it is intense, scary, etc.
I also use a lot of of perspective that I develop as a practicing Buddhist and meditator. I work in many schools of Buddhism, but focus mostly in somatic work, based on the work of Reggie Ray. This work has taught me so much, I am thrilled to help you launch or deepen your journey into Buddhist psychology work as well, if you are open to it.
I am surely not fully awake or free yet, either. I have a long history of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Though it has been many years now since I have used or been crippled by my issues, I know what being there is like. In this way, I am a fellow traveller on the path. I work to be genuine, direct, and respectful with clients. I am open about my own work and try to work on a human-to-human level rather than taking a hierarchical stance.
My schedule tends to be very full. Please keep in mind that my waitlist has been anywhere between 3 and 9 months. If you think that you would like to work with me, feel free to send me a message through the Contact link, below. We'll see what we can work out. If you don't want to wait (or in any case), then please check out my fantastic colleagues here at Samadhi!