Maya Sloan Psychotherapy
If you decided to do therapy, what would you like to get out of it?
Take a moment to feel into it.
In what way do you want to feel more alive, more grounded, more in touch with who you truly are?
What protective parts of you are shutting you down?
What in your relationships feels unsatisfying?
I'm a therapist trained in somatic work, Internal Family Systems, and RLT couples therapy, and I'm skilled at witnessing your pain and your protection with appreciation. I help you get to know your self-critical parts — so you can meet yourself with more curiosity, and less judgment.
I'm not so interested in talking about problems. I'm more interested in helping you feel embodied in whatever it is you sense is blocking you — tuning into your grief, your resentments, your longings, what's missing. Instead of talking about something, we process it by feeling into it, together, in the present moment. We can explore this individually, in couples or relationship therapy.
I also offer support for those exploring psychedelic experiences, including preparation, integration, and harm reduction.
If any of this intrigues you, get in touch with me.
Types of Therapy
IFs Therapy
In IFS therapy we get to know our system. Some of our parts hold shame from the past. Some protect us. None of them are bad, but it takes time to accept all of us, since we have inner critics and 'should' parts.
Couples Therapy
In couples therapy we get to understand how and why we relate to our partner the way we are. When we have insight into that, it is possible to change that. I use RLT (Relational Life Therapy) as my modality with couples.
Available in person in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and online.
My Approach
My approach is non-pathologizing, meaning I do not believe that our internal struggle is based on a mental disorder, but rather on inner protective roles of parts that needed to keep us safe when we were younger. As Terry Real says: adaptive then, maladaptive now. So when we can get to know our inner parts that, say, are anxious or depressed or addictive or lashing out, we can ask them how they are trying to protect us, and befriend them. We can learn that these parts have good intentions, therefore deserve our appreciation and curiosity. When parts feel listened to and appreciated, they can relax back. They then no longer have to amp up their intensity because we are just annoyed at them, and they feel heard.
We can ask them what vulnerable and wounded parts they are shielding us from and get to know what hurt us in the past.
As a couples therapist, I focus on the inner wounds and the protective system, and how your two systems interact with each other. We often are with partners to help us heal our unfinished business! We look at your stances teach you to notice your nervous system state and how to self-regulate. We introduce how to repair from ruptures to get back to harmony.
I occasionally run groups. I am planning an group of folks that feel they are spiritually emerging. Please contact me if you are interested in joining!
