My Purpose…
My first “statement of purpose” to the Universe occurred before I was could speak in complete sentences, when a 14-year-old girl with severe cerebral palsy moved into our neighborhood. While the other children stared or cried when her mother brought her outside, I would play with her for hours, completely oblivious to her disfigured face and the smell of her diaper. As a tiny 3-year-old girl, I quietly and lovingly announced to the universe who I was – a healer, servant, and non-judgmental friend. Although I did not yet have the language, I knew that I was born with the gift of connection, and used it to express empathy and help others.
As a young therapist in my twenties, I stumbled upon a book that would change the course of my work as a therapist: M. Scott Peck’s The Road Less Traveled. As my fingers soared through the pages of this life-altering classic, I imagined myself in a verbal exchange with Dr. Peck. I listened intently as he defined psychotherapy as “an act of love”, and love as “extending oneself for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth”. His words touched the depths of my soul, and told me in very clear terms that not only was my calling real, but that there were other people in the world who shared my passion for loving service to clients.
Psychotherapy is more than just a conversation between therapist and client—it is an exchange of energy, a deep, loving connection, and an opportunity for mutual learning and growth. In choosing to be a therapist, I am always reminded of that three-year old girl’s purpose. Each day, I am blessed with the opportunity to once again let the universe know why I am here: to heal, touch, serve, guide, and most of all, to love.
What is Integrative Psychotherapy?
Integrative Psychotherapy, also known as Mind-Body Medicine, or integrative mental health, explores the interconnection between our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It is a delicate blend of ancient traditions with modern science. This blend providers healers and their clients with a “tool box” for healing the wounds of mental illness, trauma, addiction, and chronic illness. These tools include creative self-expression, relaxation, biofeedback, meditation, guided imagery, exercise, nutrition, and prayer.
What Happens in a Typical Integrative session with Dr. Sabrina?
Each of your sessions will begin with a breathing exercise, designed to ease the mind, relax the body, turn off the fight-flight response, and open your heart. Unlike traditional psychotherapy, Dr. Sabrina will delve more deeply into your medical history. She will ask questions about your diet, discuss your intimate relationships, and take a spiritual inventory with you. While some sessions may focus on exercise and nutrition, others will explore meditation and guided imagery. Many sessions will focus on family patterns, and the impact of unresolved conflicts on your overall health. Through our work together, you will discover the impact of anger, grief, depression, resentments, and worry on your emotional and physical health. The goal of each session is for you to re-connect with your innate wisdom, and begin to practice the essence of healthcare, which is self-care.
“Dr. Sabrina taught us how to be better communicators, listeners, validators, and partners….She taught us the value of being a “vintage couple” and to be proud of that.
She taught us that we need 6 hugs a day from each other to keep happy and to live longer. She taught us about the importance of having sacred rituals…the powers of touch, gazing into each other’s eyes, and offering authentic blessings of thanks and appreciations for each other, which we continue to do to this day….she enlightened both of us about how we both have the power to help heal the other person’s childhood pains, and how perhaps, that might have been a part of what attracted us to the other in the first place.
She taught us the importance of carefully holding each other’s hearts in our own hands, which we will be reminded of each and every time we see the red hearts she presented to each us at our last meeting. She is an incredible coach and person and we are so thankful we were lucky enough for her to touch our lives” L and J
“Going to see Sabrina was like waiting in line for a roller coaster. I began feeling nervous and scared about the hard work and ride ahead. But then like all good roller coasters, by the time all the twist and turns that lie ahead were all over, I wanted to do it all again!!!!!! This has been the best ride of my life so far… I have grown leaps and bounds thanks to the amazing guide in Sabrina!” ~MB