James Becker

Hello and welcome. Deciding to reach out for support is a really important first step in the process of moving forward with your life. Working with a skilled therapist can give us an ability to see our lives from a different perspective which often leads to new and creative insights about how we get stuck, what we really want and how to get there from here. I have been a Social Worker for 14 years and a licensed psychotherapist since 2009, working in the fields of Treatment Foster Care, Substance Abuse Recovery, Community Mental Health and Private Practice. In addition to my professional training and experience, I have also been on my own path of personal healing and growth for almost 30 years. Over that time, probably the most effective tools I have found, both for myself and my clients, are the practices of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion. Mindfulness is a powerful method for getting to know ourselves, our minds and our stories better so we can see how often we get in our own ways and create “problems” which actually only exist in our heads. Self-Compassion is a practice of making friends with ourselves, being kind and accepting ourselves unconditionally, just as we are. Combining Mindfulness and Self-Compassion with other clinical approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Hakomi (Mindfulness-based Body Centered Psychotherapy) can create a powerful set of tools for changing ourselves and moving towards the life we really want. Applying these wisely to our lives can profoundly impact our levels of inner peace and overall sense of well-being and safety in the world. While not all issues are amenable to quick fixes, I generally see clients begin to have new hope and optimism about their lives in fairly short order. Here’s a short poem which I feel expresses the value of practicing self-kindness and compassion: Self-Observation Without Judgment (Danna Faulds) Release the harsh and pointed inner voice. it’s just a throwback to the past, and holds no truth about this moment. Let go of self-judgment, the old learned ways of beating yourself up for each imagined inadequacy. Allow the dialogue within the mind to grow friendlier, and quiet. Shift out of inner criticism and life suddenly looks very different. i can say this only because I make the choice a hundred times a day to release the voice that refuses to acknowledge the real me. What’s needed here isn’t more prodding toward perfection, but intimacy – seeing clearly, and embracing what I see. Love, not judgment, sows the seeds of tranquility and change. I look forward to having the opportunity of working with you to help increase your sense of happiness, contentment and general life satisfaction.