Elizabeth Barto

My therapeutic style is a bit eclectic, using different tools and strategies based on what you need, and I use person-centered and strengths-based therapies in almost all of my sessions. The "person-centered" side of that means that you're the expert in therapy, not the therapist. I've had peers describe this style of therapy as like being on a road trip together: you're in the driver's seat and I'm in the passenger seat with a map. I can offer insights but you're the one driving. The "strengths-based" side mostly means that we find ways to explore your inherent strengths and harness those in our work together. If you favor a particular learning style or favorite hobby, those can sometimes wind up playing a valuable role in our work, and I find that working creatively in this way enhances the impact of the work we do together. It also sometimes means finding the strengths that are hidden within our weaknesses. That can sound a little over-optimistic to some, but truly, I've found that in this line of work, the two often go hand in hand. And otherwise I pull tools from different modalities as needed, like CBT, DBT, some "parts work" (known as IFS), mindfulness, etc. I sometimes pull from ACT, I-CBT and narrative therapy too. I like using those extra modalities to keep things productive in therapy, so we can move beyond simple "talk therapy" and give you some concrete new approaches, tools and ways of thinking. I work with a wide range of people, but I do specialize in neurodivergence and addiction. In the past I've worked at another private practice, a middle school for neurodivergent kids, a methadone clinic and a crisis hotline. And I grew up overseas for much of my childhood, so taking care to make space for my client's rich multicultural identities (which we all have!) is always an important part of my practice as well.