About Bella
Great to meet you!
I come from a long lineage of mental and physical health practitioners, and I have been exposed to the ideas and ethos of this field from a very early age, as well as philosophy and Eastern and Western spirituality. As a dual citizen of Germany and the U.S., I spent part of my childhood in Europe and have an extended family around the globe. I have a love for travel and immersion in different cultures, and I find it incredibly useful to explore the cultural contexts that shape the individuals I work with in my practice.
I resonate with the belief that health cannot be measured by one's level of adjustment to a sick society. In this sense, I aim to explore socio-cultural factors that may be manifesting as symptoms causing distress in my clients' lives. I have found that one's reactions to traumas can be stored and expressed in various ways and that symptoms are often signs of unresolved wounds. In many cases, I see depression and anxiety as grievances that a need is not being acknowledged or met and an indicator that some aspect of one's life demands change.
My role as a clinician is to collaborate with my clients in the process of listening, discovery, embodiment, and real-time problem-solving to bring these disparities and needs to conscious awareness and to help guide us through the process of understanding, re-integrating, and ultimately healing.
Whether you are seeking support for distressing symptoms, navigating overwhelming life transitions, concerned about dysfunctional habits or relationship patterns, or addressing feelings of demoralization or burnout, my passion and goal is to create a space where you feel heard, supported, and empowered to move forward.
My approach to therapy
Your body already knows what you need. We just get very good at not listening.
My style is collaborative and flexible, and my therapeutic approach is rooted in psychodynamic theory, with a strong consideration of attachment patterns, cultural influences, existential and spiritual ideology, and emotional literacy, embodiment, and expression. I bring a mindfulness-based, somatic approach to our work: sometimes a quiet framework underneath the conversation, sometimes an inward guided practice for part of the session. Alongside this, I integrate self-compassion and self-forgiveness practices with evidence-based clinical care. This is whole-person care: interested in all of you, not just one symptom.
Each week we carve out space to slow down and listen to what your body is telling you. Over time, this tends to repair your relationship with yourself, revealing the truest you and clarifying what you really want.
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I am wise so I am changing myself.”
Rumi
Evidence-based approaches
Well-established methods, tailored to you
I use research-supported approaches, thoughtfully selected and adapted to your specific concerns and goals, applied flexibly based on how your concerns show up in your day-to-day life, rather than running you through a protocol.
Education, training & certifications